If your research has a geographical angle, maps and atlases may come into play. In addition to atlases of countries, regions, and the world, there are atlases that cover history, natural resources, ethnic groups, and many other special topics. Gazetteers list place names and give basic information about them, including their location. The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World is one published gazetteer of note. The Geographic Name Server on the Internet (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer) gives the precise latitude and longitude of places that you can search for by name.
Back to Using Reference Materials