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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, Handbooks, and Guides

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.
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.
Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) This link opens in a new window
Widely viewed as the American equivalent of the Oxford English Dictionary, DARE represents the full panoply of American regional vocabulary—from Adam’s housecat to Zydeco.
Sage Knowledge This link opens in a new window
Contains a collection of reference encyclopedias and handbooks focused on the social sciences.

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 Companions [via Cambridge Collections Online] This link opens in a new window
Contains many introductory essays on major writers, artists, topics, and periods.
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.
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
Provide concise introductions to a diverse range of subjects, written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, and new ideas to make challenging topics highly readable.

Literary Theories & Theorists

Still trying to wrap your head around a literary theory or theorist? Then this source is for you!

Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory This link opens in a new window
Contains contextual info on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods.