Looking for Background Information on a Topic
While you shouldn't rely on a dictionary or an encyclopedia as one of your minimum source requirements, there are times when these resources can provide a good definition or background on a topic or issue that you are researching. Use these to get a better handle on your topic before you begin doing more in-depth research.
- Britannica Online: Academic EditionThis reference database combines the Encyclopædia Britannica, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus, magazines, periodicals, and many other research tools to provide users with a variety of reliable sources that students need to consult when conducting thorough research.
- Credo ReferenceThis database provides access to hundreds of in-depth subject encyclopedias and handbooks covering every major topic from accounting to art history to Shakespeare to Einstein. Its topic pages offer an easy starting point and pathways for further research.
- Funk & Wagnall's New World EncyclopediaThis database provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.
Need a Definition to Get Started?
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.Call Number: Reference 423 W395m, 1998Publication Date: 1998
