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
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
Encyclopedia of Education
Offers a complete view of the institutions, people, processes, roles, and philosophies in educational practice in the United States and throughout the world. Features biographies of influential educators; profiles of historic colleges and universities and of organizations active in the field; and an appendix of full-text source documents, including education-related legislation, international treaties, and testing methods. 8 volumes.
The Wiley Handbook of Christianity and Education
by
