Standard Reference Sources

1
Standard Reference Sources

• Used to answer specific questions
• Not generally meant to be read from cover to
  cover
• May provide statistics, brief facts, etc. on a
  variety of topics, or in a specific subject
  area

2
Standard Reference Sources

• Print reference sources are generally library
  use only
• Many sources are now available on the Web ( by
  subscription)
• (Encyc. Britannica)
• There are also free reference sources on the
  Web (beware of quality and date)

3
Standard Reference Sources

• GENERAL AND SUBJECT ENCYCLOPEDIAS
• Starting points for research
• Provide factual overviews on a vast number of
  subjects
• May be a single volume or multiple volumes

4
Standard Reference Sources

• GENERAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS
• World Book Encyclopedia
• (often seen in public libraries, glossy color
  pictures, lower reading level for youth)
• Encyclopedia Americana
• Encyclopedia Britannica
• Fall in to AE section of call numbers in LC
  classification

5
Standard Reference Sources

• SUBJECT ENCYCLOPEDIAS
• Contain more detailed information on a topic than
  found in a general encyclopedia
• Includes topics not found in general
  encyclopedias
• May actually have the word dictionary in the
  title

6
Standard Reference Sources

• SUBJECT ENCYCLOPEDIAS
• EXAMPLES
• Dictionary of Art REF N31 D5 1996
• Encyclopedia of Psychology
• REF BF 31 E52 1994
• Encyclopedia the Environment
• GE10 .E53 1994

7
Standard Reference Sources

• DICTIONARIES
• Provide meanings of words or the etymology
  (origin) of words
• May be general or subject specific
• May have the word dictionary, or encyclopedia
  in the title

8
Standard Reference Sources

• GENERAL DICTIONARIES
• Provide meanings of words in general usage
• Located in PE call number range
• May be abridged or unabridged

9
Standard Reference Sources

• GENERAL DICTIONARIES
• EXAMPLES
• Websters Third New International Dictionary
  (unabridged)
• REF PE 1625 W36
• Merriam Websters Collegiate Dictionary REF PE
  1628 M36 1994

10
Standard Reference Sources

• ETYMOLOGICAL DICTIONARIES
• Provide the origins of words plus instances when
  they were first used
• Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology REF PE 1580 B35
  1988
• Oxford English Dictionary
• REF PE 1625 O87 1989

11
Standard Reference Sources

• LANGUAGE DICTIONARIES
• Provide English translations of foreign words and
  phrases
• Usually divided into 2 sections native language
  and English

12
Standard Reference Sources

• SUBJECT SPECIFIC DICTIONARIES
• Focus on a specific discipline or subject area
• Are located within the specific LC call number
  for the subject area

13
Standard Reference Sources

• SUBJECT SPECIFIC DICTIONARIES
• EXAMPLES
• Mc-Graw Hill Dictionary of GeologyREF QE5 M3654
  1997
• Dictionary of Computer and Internet Terms
• REF QA76.15 D667 2000

14
Standard Reference Sources

• DIRECTORIES
• Provide names, addresses, and other contact
  information of individuals, companies,
  organizations, or institutions

15
Standard Reference Sources

• DIRECTORIES
• Encyclopedia of Associations
• REF HS 17 G334 1999
• College Blue Book
• REF L 901 C64 1999
• Hoovers Handbook of American Business REF HG
  4057 A28617

16
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• AMERICAN WORLDWIDE
• Provide information on the lives and
  accomplishments of famous people
• May have brief information (biographical
  dictionaries) or more detail (encyclopedia)
• May provide contact information
• (for those who are alive)

17
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• AMERICAN WORLDWIDE
• American National Biography
• REF CT 213 A68
• Encyclopedia of World Biography
• REF CT 103 E56

18
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• AMERICAN WORLDWIDE
• Current Biography Yearbook
• REF CT 100 C8
• Biography.com
• http//www.biography.com
• Whos Who in America
• REF E 176 W642 2000

19
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• BY ETHNICITY/GENDER
• Dictionary of Hispanic Biography
• REF CT 1343 D531 1996
• Notable Hispanic American Women E 184 S75 N68
  1993

20
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• BY ETHNICITY/GENDER
• Native American Women a Biographical Dictionary
• E 98 W8 B38 1993
• Notable Black American Women
• E 185.96 N68 1992

21
Standard Reference Sources

• BIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES
• BY PROFESSION
• Dictionary of Scientific Biography
• REF Q 141 D5
• Notable Black American Scientists
• Q 141 N726 1999
• Notable Women Scientists
• Q 141 N736 1999

22
Standard Reference Sources

• STATISTICAL SOURCES
• Provide statistical information or data various
  topics. May use charts and tables. May have
  little narrative.
• Compiled from government and non-government
  sources

23
Standard Reference Sources

• STATISTICAL SOURCES
• Statistical Abstract of the United States REF HA
  202 or http//www.census.gov/statab/www/
• Statistical Abstract of the World
• HA154 .S68
• U.S. Census Bureau http//www.census.gov/

24
Standard Reference Sources

• QUOTATION SOURCES
• Provide quotations on specific themes, or by
  specific persons
• Usually searchable by keyword or source

25
Standard Reference Sources

• QUOTATION SOURCES
• Bartletts Familiar Quotations
• REF PN 6081 B27 1992 and
• http//www.bartleby.com/100/
• (note that online version is the 1919
  edition! )
• New Quotable Woman PN 6081 B27 1992

26
Standard Reference Sources

• ATLASES
• Main features a collections of maps
• May focus on geographical features, historical
  information or special themes
• May be shelved on an atlas stand rather than in
  the book stacks
• May contain useful text as well as maps.
• Not limited to print formats

27
Standard Reference Sources

• WORLD ATLASES
• Times Atlas of the World (the best) REF G 1021
  B395 1999
• Goode's World Atlas
• REF G 1021 G6 1999

28
Standard Reference Sources

• HISTORICAL ATLASES
• Contain maps that focus on a particular time
  period, region of the world, an event, or subject
• Times Atlas of World History
• REF G 1030 T54 1993
• Cultural Atlas of the Viking World
• DL 65 C85 1994

29
Standard Reference Sources

• HISTORICAL ATLASES
• Atlas of the Civil War REF G 1201 S5 A85 1994
• Historical Atlas of the American Revolution REF
  E208 B36 2000
• New Historical Atlas of Religion in America REF
  G 1201 E4 N4 2001

30
Standard Reference Sources

• SUBJECT ATLASES
• Contain maps and information on specific places
  or topics
• Atlas of Global Change
• REF GE 149 C4813 1998
• New Historical Atlas of Religion in
• America REF G1201 E4 N4 2001

31
Standard Reference Sources

• CHRONOLOGICAL SOURCES
• Descriptions of events arranged by date
• May cover large time periods (hundreds or
  thousands of years) or shorter periods (decades)
• SEE CHRONOLOGIES HANDOUT

32
Standard Reference Sources

• LITERARY CRITICISM/ LITERARY BIOGRAPHY
• Provide general info and criticism on authors,
  their works and topics in literature
• Often provide abridged articles taken from
  literary journals

33
Standard Reference Sources

• LITERARY BIOGRAPHY
• MAJOR SOURCES
• Contemporary Authors (CA) online and print
• Contemporary Authors New Revision (CANR)
• Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB) online and
  print
• Scribner Writer Series (online)
• Twayne Author Series (online)

34
Standard Reference Sources

• LITERARY CRITICISM
• MAJOR SOURCES
• Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC) Authors
  alive or who have died since 1960)
• Twentieth Century Literary Criticism
• (TCLC) Authors who died 1900-1959
• Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism
• (NCLC) Authors who died 1800-1899)

35
Standard Reference Sources

• LITERARY CRITICISM
• MAJOR SOURCES
• Critical Survey of Long Fiction
• Critical Survey of Short Fiction
• Poetry Criticism
• Short Story Criticism

36
Standard Reference Sources

• PLOT SUMMARIES/ CHARACTERS
• Provide overviews of the work, lists and may
  analyze characters
• Masterplots (summaries of 2010 works of world
  literature
• Masterplots II Poetry Series