Reference Tools
Dictionaries
Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and antonyms (opposites) but usually don't define the words. Dialect and slang dictionaries present words and definitions not necessarily found in standard dictionaries. There are also dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms and dictionaries of quotations. We haven't listed specific examples here, because you'll probably just want to browse your library's collection. These general dictionaries are usually shelved near each other in the reference room. There are also quite a few dictionaries available in CD-ROM and on the Web.
Types of Dictionaries
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias provide general background information; they are a good place to start researching a topic that you know little about. Large subject areas or disciplines are covered in broad articles that explain basic concepts. These overview articles often contain references to more specific aspects of the larger topic and may include a bibliography that leads you to more in-depth sources. Encyclopedias may be general or subject specific.
Directories
Directories provide names, addresses, affiliations, etc. of people, organizations, or institutions. They can be used to verify addresses, name spellings, and provide contact information. As in other reference sources, directories may be general or focused on a particular subject.
Biographical Dictionaries
Biographical dictionaries contain short articles about people's lives.
Gazetteers or Atlases
Geographic information is located in gazetteers, atlases and maps.
Almanacs contain statistics and facts about countries, events, personalities, or subjects.
Handbooks/Manuals
Handbooks and manuals are subject area tools. Handbooks provide facts, terms, concepts, movements, etc. of a topic. Manuals provide detailed instructions on a particular subject, such as how-to-do something or how something works.
Review & Criticism Sources
These tools provide reviews or critiques of a person's work.
Historical Tables, Chronologies, Historical Yearbooks
Historical tables and chronologies present historical facts in different formats. Historical tables provide facts chronologically in columns with each column representing another geographical area or other major area, such as history, economics, religions. etc. Chronologies use narrative form to present facts. Historical tables and chronologies may span long or very short time periods. Historical yearbooks provide facts and statistics for a single year and may be published annually.
Indexes & Abstracts
Indexes and abstracts lead to additional sources of periodical articles. Indexes only provide author, title, and subject information. Abstracts tend to be more descriptive. Some online index databases also include the full-text of the article.
Bibliographies
Bibliographies lead to other information sources. They are lists of books and other materials that provide author, title, and publication information. Annotated bibliographies also include a brief description or summary of the item. Bibliographies are available on almost every topic and may focus on specific persons, groups, subjects, or time periods. Many bibliographies are selective and do not attempt to include all publications. Bibliographies are sometimes referred to as "Guides to the Literature ..."
Dictionaries
Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and antonyms (opposites) but usually don't define the words. Dialect and slang dictionaries present words and definitions not necessarily found in standard dictionaries. There are also dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms and dictionaries of quotations. We haven't listed specific examples here, because you'll probably just want to browse your library's collection. These general dictionaries are usually shelved near each other in the reference room. There are also quite a few dictionaries available in CD-ROM and on the Web.
Types of Dictionaries
- General dictionaries are the most familiar to us. You may even own one. This group includes Webster's International Dictionary, the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, and the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. These sources generally provide definitions, pronunciations, syllabication, and usage.
- Historical dictionaries provide the history of a word from its introduction into the language to the present. The Oxford English Dictionary is an excellent example of this type of dictionary.
-
Etymological dictionaries are dictionaries which emphasize the
anaylsis of components of words and their cognates in other languages.
These dictionaries emphasize the linguistic and grammatical history of
the word usage. The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology is an example of an etymological dictionary.
- Period or scholarly specialized dictionaries focus on a particular place or time period. For example, try the Dictionary of Alaskan English if you would like to know when the word "cheechako" was first used.
-
Foreign language dictionaries are fairly self-explanatory. We've all
looked up words in a French or Spanish or other Western European
language. Don't forget other wonderful dictionaries, such as the Yup'ik Eskimo Dictionary or the Inupiat Eskimo dictionary.
- Subject dictionaries focus on word definitions in a subject area, such as finance, law, botany, electronics, physics, etc.
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Other dictionaries include dictionaries of slang, abbreviations,
synonyms, antonyms, abbreviations, acronyms, reversals, rhyming,
idioms, phrases, and guides to correct usage. Dictionary of Acronyms and Abbreviations, The Macmillan Dictionary of Historical Slang, Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, The American Language, Strunk's Elements of Style.
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias provide general background information; they are a good place to start researching a topic that you know little about. Large subject areas or disciplines are covered in broad articles that explain basic concepts. These overview articles often contain references to more specific aspects of the larger topic and may include a bibliography that leads you to more in-depth sources. Encyclopedias may be general or subject specific.
- General encyclopedias usually arrange articles alphabetically by topic. Look for an accompanying index which may list cross-references to other articles. Included
- Subject encyclopedias are available for almost every academic discipline. They provide more in-depth and technical information than general encyclopedias. Subject encyclopedias generally assume some prior knowledge of the subject.
Directories
Directories provide names, addresses, affiliations, etc. of people, organizations, or institutions. They can be used to verify addresses, name spellings, and provide contact information. As in other reference sources, directories may be general or focused on a particular subject.
Biographical Dictionaries
Biographical dictionaries contain short articles about people's lives.
Gazetteers or Atlases
Geographic information is located in gazetteers, atlases and maps.
- Gazetteers are sometimes referred to as geographical dictionaries and provide descriptions of places, but no maps.
- Atlases contain
collections of maps. They provide information on
geographical/political changes. There are world, national, and
thematic atlases and these may be current or historical.
Almanacs contain statistics and facts about countries, events, personalities, or subjects.
Handbooks/Manuals
Handbooks and manuals are subject area tools. Handbooks provide facts, terms, concepts, movements, etc. of a topic. Manuals provide detailed instructions on a particular subject, such as how-to-do something or how something works.
Review & Criticism Sources
These tools provide reviews or critiques of a person's work.
Historical Tables, Chronologies, Historical Yearbooks
Historical tables and chronologies present historical facts in different formats. Historical tables provide facts chronologically in columns with each column representing another geographical area or other major area, such as history, economics, religions. etc. Chronologies use narrative form to present facts. Historical tables and chronologies may span long or very short time periods. Historical yearbooks provide facts and statistics for a single year and may be published annually.
Indexes & Abstracts
Indexes and abstracts lead to additional sources of periodical articles. Indexes only provide author, title, and subject information. Abstracts tend to be more descriptive. Some online index databases also include the full-text of the article.
Bibliographies
Bibliographies lead to other information sources. They are lists of books and other materials that provide author, title, and publication information. Annotated bibliographies also include a brief description or summary of the item. Bibliographies are available on almost every topic and may focus on specific persons, groups, subjects, or time periods. Many bibliographies are selective and do not attempt to include all publications. Bibliographies are sometimes referred to as "Guides to the Literature ..."