What is a reference source?
A reference source provides a useful introduction to a topic and is often a good place to start your research, especially if you do not have a comprehensive familiarity with the subject matter. Reference material can be consulted to help define terms and to lay out the history and context of a subject.
Some common examples of reference works include:
- encyclopedias
- dictionaries
- atlases
- almanacs
- handbooks
- biographical sources
- indexes
Reading one or many reference source can help you more fully comprehend more technical, detailed, and nuanced scholarly books and articles.
Where to find them?
- The majority of print reference books are located on the first floor of the Wardman Library, although there are some on the Mezzanine and Second/Top floors as well.
- There are also many online reference databases, such as Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL), which brings together numerous reference works in one place.
- For more information, review this section on reference sources from our guide on Intro to Library Research.
