Economics: Reference Sources

You can find books, ebooks, DVDs, and other items in the Wardman Library by searching the online Catalog.

"Reference works" is an overall term for resources that take an introductory approach to a particular subject and are meant to be consulted for definite items of information (rather than being read consecutively like you would read a novel). These generally include:

• encyclopedias
• introductory texts
• dictionaries
• atlases
• almanacs
• handbooks
• biographical sources
• indexes

Reference works are usually written by scholars and contain the essential information you ought to know before beginning more detailed research. Note: The term "reference works" is also sometimes used to refer to items that cannot be checked out from the library.

For more information, see our Intro to Library Research guide.

Items in the Reference collection -- particularly subject encyclopedias -- are great starting points for your research. Encyclopedia articles offer concise overviews of a topic, summaries of key research in a particular discipline, and often include a bibliography which can serve as a starting list of sources for your project.

You can:

• Define your topic
• Find background information
• Identify keywords and terms to assist you in searching for articles and other resources