An Introduction to Research Processes

Back to Using Reference Materials

Back in high school when you had to do a research paper, chances are you went straight to an encyclopedia. An encyclopedia can still help you get an overview of your subject and may be especially valuable when you are first casting around for a topic. But when you start investigating more deeply, you will need to go to other sources as well.

General encyclopedias, such as the New Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Encyclopedia Americana, are written for readers who aren't specialists, who want an overview of a topic, or who want some fact they are missing. Encyclopedias generally have an index volume and cross-references to help you find what you need to know.

Specialized encyclopedias cover a field of study in much greater depth than general encyclopedias do. You might want to supplement your background reading by consulting one of these works, which often have useful bibliographies of related sources. A sampling of titles includes:

• Dictionary of American History
  
• Dictionary of the Middle Ages
  
• Encyclopedia of Human Biology
  
• Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  
• Encyclopedia of Psychology
  
• Encyclopedia of Religion
  
• Encyclopedia of Sociology
  
• Encyclopedia of the American Constitution
  
• Encyclopedia of World Art
  
• Encyclopedia of World Cultures
  
• McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
  
• New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
  
• New Palgrave Dictionary of Money and Finance