LibGuides: Basics of Library Reference: Specialized Reference Sources

Introduction

Start here! Once a student has picked their topic, they may need help finding a specialized reference source. This can be a print encyclopedia/dictionary, or an online reference source that is relevant to their topic. This should come from the library collection and not be something freely available online (Britannica, Wikipedia). These are meant to give an overview of a topic and provide an entry point for research. Some will also have "further Reading" or Bibliographies at the end of the entry that can be helpful to continue students' research.

TIP: Though the students should never use Wikipedia as their specialized reference source, staff may find it helpful to skim the Wikipedia page for a subject in order to get a very broad understanding of the topic. Doing this will allow you to quickly find keywords to search, like the names of people or places involved, relevant date ranges, and sometimes promising leads for primary sources.

Databases

These reference databases can be used to help students beginning their research to find a potential topic, gather background information and in some cases find primary sources

History Database Center
Use this database for encyclopedia entries and overviews of history topic. HDC includes more specialized databases, like American History Online and Modern World History, or you can search all databases at once from the home page.

Includes biographies, subject entries, chronologies, primary sources, maps and charts, and images for American History, World History, American Women's History, African American History and Culture, American Indian History and Culture, and Ancient History and Culture.
Issues & Controversies in History
This database is extremely useful for its "Pro/Con" articles that break down the cases for and against major world events in history. It also sometimes includes primary sources like government documents and photographs that could be useful in research.

Builds a deeper understanding of how historical events have shaped our nation by exploring the key players and the battles they fought.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
This database is useful for its biographical profiles of historical figures. It can be a good starting point for anyone focusing on a historical figure, an event that one person was heavily involved in, or a research topic about the reign of a certain king or queen or politician.

Over 57,000 biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the present. Updated three times a year.
Salem History
This does not link to a particular database, but instead to all of Salem Press's titles. The link includes online editions of the Great Lives from History series and the Great Events from History series, both of which are valuable starting points for history papers.

Includes the complete content of Milestone Documents, The Decades (an American history series), Great Lives from History (worldwide coverage), and Great Events from History (worldwide coverage).