FYSE-113: The Nuclear Age

These reference sources focus on specific subjects that overlap and intersect with your research topics. Not all sources will be relevant to all groups. Try to identify which broad subject areas, represented by the reference titles, could include information about your topic. 

Print reference sources (On Floor 1 of Frost in the Reference Collection)

Online reference sources (e-books)

Reference sources can include encyclopedias, bibliographies, dictionaries, handbooks, and atlases. 

• They provide overviews of and background information on a topic
• They help you identify or refine your topic 
• They provide quick, reliable facts  
• They include bibliographies that will lead you to additional sources of information on your topic

You can find the Library's collection of reference books on Floor 1 of Frost. We also have many online databases that include scholarly encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources.

Why would you consult reference books?

• To get ideas for a research topic try encyclopedias or Gale Virtual Reference Library
• To get overviews or background information try encyclopedias, guides, and handbooks
• To find biographical information about people try encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries (e.g., American National Biography)