Research Guides: Biography: Reference Resources

Find Background Information

An excellent starting-point for research are Reference Sources, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. They provide the background information you need to better understand your topic and to develop keywords for searches. Below are selected resources that can help you start finding information about your person.

Online Library Reference Books & Resources

American National Biography This link opens in a new window
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American National Biography contains biographies, illustrations and hyperlinked cross-references.
Credo Reference: Biography This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference: Biography is a subset of Credo Reference covering Biography.
Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Biography in Context (Biography Resource Center) provides reference content from magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, audio podcasts, and images. It covers people from historically significant figures to present-day newsmakers.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
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Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is an illustrated collection of written biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2001. The dictionary covers remarkable people in any walk of life who were connected with the British Isles-excluding living people.
World Who's Who This link opens in a new window
Note: Due to budget constraints, this resource has not been renewed as of 12/31/2023.
Concurrent user limit: 1
World Who's Who outlines the lives and achievements of the most distinguished men and women from almost every country in the world.

...view all reference databases that contain biographies.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia can be great reference resource to start learning about your topic. It can help you with:

Developing some background knowledge about your topic, including an overview, definitions, and outline.
Discovering keywords, including related terms, sub-topics, and names of notable people, places, and events.
Finding links to other relevant resources.

It's generally true that Wikipedia should:

NOT be used as a main or only source of information for your project.
NOT be quoted/cited as a reference source in your final project.

REMEMBER: Always make sure to follow the requirements communicated by your teacher. The appropriateness of different information resources varies depending on the circumstances of specific assignments and topics.