Research Guides: Introduction to British Writing: ENG 2501: Get Background Info

Why Use Reference Works?

Young woman sitting at the library using books and laptop Reference works -- like encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries -- provide great overviews and background information.

They help you contextualize your topic and generate questions.
They help identify keywords you can use later when searching for scholarly sources.
They contain bibliographies that lead you to the most respected secondary and most useful primary sources on a topic.

In short, reference works are a great way to begin your research.

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Need to look up a name, place, term, or event? The sources below contain many different kinds of encyclopedias and dictionaries and are excellent starting points.

Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
Consists of a collection of core reference materials across numerous subject areas published by Oxford University Press.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Consists of a large collection of reference materials across numerous subject areas.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Contains a collection of core reference materials across many subject areas.
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
The OED is the guide to the meaning, history, pronunciation, and variant spellings of words, both present and past.

Author Biographies

Biographies and autobiographies provide insights into individuals' lives and achievements. Biographies come in all shapes and sizes: some offer just factual information (full name, birth and death dates, place of birth, career history, etc.) while others provide more in-depth essays as well as references for further reading.

The sources below contain brief biographies or biographical overviews on individuals. Many also point to other resources about an individual, including related news stories, book-length biographies, and/or author interviews.

Need additional help? Check out this help guide: How to Learn More About an Author

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
Contains biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the 21st century.
Gale Literature: Dictionary of Literary Biography This link opens in a new window
Provides biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres.
Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors This link opens in a new window
Contemporary authors provides details on modern authors (post-1960): novelists, poets, playwrights, short-story writers, screenwriters, journalists and other non-fiction writers.

Novel Summaries, Themes, & Techniques

Salem Literature This link opens in a new window
Includes Masterplots and Magill's Literary Annuals. Contains analyses of the most important works in all genres -- long fiction, short fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction -- throughout history and around the world.

Introductory Essays & Topic Overviews

Need some context? These are detailed guides to authors, composers, philosophers, genres, various literatures and other fields of study, providing context and analysis for a thorough introduction.

Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
Contains introductory essays on world history, plus histories of cultural fields like literature, music and theatre, and even science.
Cambridge Companions [via Cambridge Collections Online] This link opens in a new window
Contains many introductory essays on major writers, artists, topics, and periods.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Contains in-depth, topical introductions and reviews of the key issues and major scholarly debates across many different subject areas.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Very Short Introductions (VSI) offers concise introductions to a diverse range of subjects, written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make challenging topics highly readable.