LibGuides: Academic Writing: Explore

Reference Databases

Reference Databases

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text online versions of hundreds of top quality reference books in all major subjects from art to medicine, psychology to history, and technology to literature. Includes bilingual and biographical dictionaries.
Oxford Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Spanning 25 different subject areas, Oxford Reference brings together 2 million digitized entries across Oxford’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias.
Sage Reference This link opens in a new window
Hundreds of must-have SAGE Reference titles providing students with the perfect place to start their research on key topics in the social and behavioral sciences.

Find Background Information

What is the topic you are interested in exploring? For example:

Science & Technology
Arts & Humanities
Politics & History
Psychology & Human Behavior

Before developing a research question or topic, you will need to do some background research.

Some places to look for background information:

Your textbook or class readings
An encyclopedia, handbook, or other reference material
Library databases

The following tab walks through options for locating reference materials and refining your research topic.

Exploring Your Topic

Want to learn more? Check out these videos and tutorials.

Find more information about the research process here: Information Literacy Module.

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 Bible
- Dictionary AND Medicine
- Encyclopedia AND Music

Narrow Down Your Topic

Now that you've done some background research, it's time to narrow down your topic. Here are some questions you can use for narrowing and defining your topic:

Is there a specific aspect of the topic you can focus on?
- Example: Family Therapy AND Adoption
Is there a cause-and-effect relationship you can explore?
Are there multiple perspectives that can be explored?
Is there an unanswered question on the subject?
Can you focus on a specific time period or group of people?

Refine Your Topic

How to Narrow your topic

Research Consultation

For Students, Staff, and Faculty:

Need help finding sources?

Schedule a Research Consultation to discuss your topic and the best way to find sources.

To schedule a research consultation in person or via Zoom, click here

For Faculty:

To schedule a class session, contact the Masland Library at library@cairn.edu.

Portions of this guide are taken from:

George Mason University Writing Center. (2018). How to write a research question. https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/writing-resources/research-based-writing/how-to-write-a-research-question

Setzkorn, K., Elder, J., & Davis, N. (2024). The researcher's journey [LibGuide]. Cedarville University. https://libguides.cedarville.edu/researchers-journey