Research Guides: Dickinson: Finding Reference Resources

Types of Reference Resources

Print Biography Resources

Almanac of Famous People, 10th ed. by Gale/Cengage Learning
Call Number: REF CT104 .A46 2011 v.1-2
Publication Date: 2011
Information on more than 40,000 famous individuals and groups from Biblical times to the present.
Current Biography & Current Biography Yearbook by H.W. Wilson Company
Call Number: REF CT100 .C8
Publication Date: 1940-present
Biographies of the men and women who make today’s headlines and tomorrow’s history. Annual volume includes the year’s obituaries, a cumulated index of articles and obituaries published in the current decade, and a classification of the subjects of articles by their professions.

Electronic Databases for Biography Resources

Biography and Genealogy Master Index This link opens in a new window
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Indexed resources on where to find biographical material on people from all time periods, geographic locations, and fields of endeavor.
Gale In Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
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Includes biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
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Full-text articles from multi-volume encyclopedias, biographical collections, business plan handbooks, company history compilations, consumer health references, and specialized reference sources.

Online Biography Resources

Biography.com
Contains over 8,000 names of famous people.

Print Dictionaries

In addition to the English language dictionaries listed below, search the library catalog using the word "dictionary" with almost any subject (nursing, transportation, etc.), to find subject-specific dictionaries.

The American Heritage dictionary of the English language.
Call Number: PE1628 .A54 2000
ISBN: 0395825172
The new American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language updates the third edition (1992) with 10,000 new words and senses and 4000 illustrations (many now in color) in the spacious outer margins.... Each entry contains the headword, pronunciation, part of speech, and definition.
Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. by Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Call Number: REF PE1628 .M36 2003
ISBN: 0877798095
Presents concise definitions, pronunciations, abbreviations, some illustrations, usage examples, and synonyms with ten thousand new words and meanings.

Online Dictionaries

Dictionary.com
With more than 50 million unique monthly users worldwide, Dictionary.com is the world's largest and most authoritative online dictionary. [It] provides reliable access to millions of English definitions and meanings, spelling, audio pronunciations, example sentences, and word origins... content is licensed from over 15 trusted and established sources including Random House and Harper Collins.

Print Encyclopedias

The Madigan Library offers a number of encyclopedia sets in print format in the reference section. These encyclopedias are nearly all subject specific, so the easiest way to find one is to search the library catalog for "encyclopedia" and filter by your subject area.

Electronic Database for Encyclopedias

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
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Full-text articles from multi-volume encyclopedias, biographical collections, business plan handbooks, company history compilations, consumer health references, and specialized reference sources.

Online Encylcopedias

Infoplease
Infoplease provides free access to factual information on a wide array of topics including current events, pop culture, science, government, and history. In addition to written articles, some subject areas include short video clips on a wide range of topics.
Wikipedia
Use Wikipedia to find background information on a particular topic. Use references at the bottom of each article as further points of information. Remember, anyone can contribute to Wikipedia, so, when using this resource, always verify the accuracy of information in peer-reviewed or scholarly sources to ensure it is factual.

Dickinson: Finding Reference Resources

Reference Collection

Types of Reference Resources