Research Guides: Electrical Technology: Reference Resources

Reference Collection

The Reference Collection houses an assortment of dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, guides, and handbooks. The collection is located on the 1st floor of the Madigan Library.

Reference sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, thesauri, directories, and other materials providing general information about a variety of subjects. When you need the "backstory" on a subject, reference sources are the main source for who, what, when, where and why questions. Search the library catalog for reference materials or ask a librarian to direct you to these sources in the Reference Collection.

Reference Resources

Dictionaries
Subject-specific reference books that contain an alphabetical list of words with information about them that is specific to that particular subject and not necessarily generic like you would find in an average, everyday dictionary.
Encyclopedias
Subject-specific encyclopedias (or encyclopedic sets) are a single (or multi-volume) reference work that provides background information on a more specialized discipline.
Guides & Handbooks
Reference manuals usually consulted for basic information or instruction, quick fact-finding, or for a concise and authoritative survey of a topic.
Technical Standards
Established norms or requirements about technical systems. They are usually formal documents that establish uniform engineering or technical criteria, methods, processes and practices.