USING

REFERENCE SOURCES
 REFERENCE SOURCES
Think of reference sources as sources you refer to rather than read cover to cover, hence the name
“reference.”
These sources generally summarize topics or assist in finding secondary literature. Their purpose is to
provide background information, short answers to simple questions, or to help you find other sources.
They are also great for quick facts, statistics, or contact information, and can be very useful for learning
specific vocabulary. Many contain great bibliographies for further reading or additional sources on your
topic.

In short, they can be a great starting point for research. After doing a little reading about a topic in an
encyclopedia or other reference source, you should have a better idea of how to focus your topic and
where to look for further information.

Most print reference sources cannot be checked out from the library. However, online reference sources
are available on the library’s website and can be accessed from home, though some require that you be
affiliated with the university.

Following is a list of the most common types of reference sources, and examples of each:

• Almanacs are typically single-volume works with statistics and a compilation of specific facts.
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Examples include the World Almanac and Book of Facts and Information Please Almanac.
Information Please is also available online: [Link]

• Atlases are books of maps and geographical information. Examples are the World Atlas of
Military History and Atlas of the Great Plains. The Census Atlas of the United States is available
online at: [Link]

• Bibliographies provide literature on a specific subject or by a specific author. One example is the
Bibliography of American Literature.

• Biographies are sources of information about the lives of people. Examples are the Twentieth-
Century British Humorists and Who’s Who in America. An example of an online biographical
reference source is [Link] located at: [Link]
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 • Concordances are alphabetical listings of keywords or phrases found in work of an author or

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work in a collection of writings. Examples are the Concordance of Federal Legislation and the
Topical Bible Concordance.

• Dictionaries define words and illustrate pronunciation. They are also used to find out how words
are used, help to locate synonyms and antonyms, and trace the origin of words. Examples of general
dictionaries include Webster’s Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary. An online example is
Oxford English Dictionary: [Link] Examples of subject-
specific dictionaries include Dictionary of Music Education and the Encyclopedia of Law and
Higher Education. An online example is the Dictionary of Slang located at: [Link]
[Link]/slang/

• Directories list names and addresses of individuals, companies, organizations, and institutions.
Examples include the Directory of Corporate Affiiliations and the Encyclopedia of Associations.

• Encyclopedias cover topics in a comprehensive, but summary fashion. They are useful for
providing facts and giving a broad survey of a topic, and are often written by specialists. Examples
include general encyclopedias, such as the World Book Encyclopedia or [Link]
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located at: [Link] and subject-specific encyclopedias, such as the

Encyclopedia of Education or the Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Education located at: http://
[Link]/[Link]?id=editorial

• Gazetteers are dictionaries of geographical places. Examples include the Historical Gazetteer of
the United States and the Utah Atlas & Gazetteer.

• Guidebooks provide detailed descriptions of places, and are intended for travelers. They often
include both maps and geographical facts. One example is the Hiker’s Guide to Utah.

• Handbooks treat one broad subject in brief, or give a brief survey of a subject. Examples are the
Handbook of American Popular Culture and the Business Plans Handbook.

• Manuals provide “how to” information, such as how to write a correct citation. An example is the
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition.