School of Education

Reference Sources for Background Knowledge

Reference materials are designed to help you get started on your research and to give you a better understanding of a topic​. Types of reference materials include: 

• General – A single or multivolume work covering many topics without great detail or depth

• Specialized – A single or multivolume work focusing on a particular topic, culture, time period, event, etc., providing more in-depth coverage of their subject matter

• Scholarly/peer-reviewed – Written by scholars or professionals who are experts in their fields. Generally, these go through a review process before being published

Examples of Reference Materials

• Handbooks – Provide concise, factual information on a subject ​

• Dictionaries – Contain brief explanatory entries of terms​

• Encyclopedias – Authoritative summary of information​

• Atlases – Highlight how geography relates to the topic

Locating Research Material

• Search for the [Reference Material] AND [Topic] here: Start Here  
  Examples: 
  • Handbook AND Education
  • Dictionary AND Psychology
  • Encyclopedia AND American Education

Reference Sources 

Below is a selection of resources available through the library to help build background context for a topic. 

Search our full collection of resources here: ALL Library Resources