Research Guides: Start Researching: Encyclopedias

Tutorials

Learn how to search Credo Reference and ScienceDirect encyclopedias on our Tutorials page.

Recommended Reference Collections

Britannica Academic
For any research project, nothing beats an article from Britannica to serve as an overview. Britannica will also lead you to academically-vetted Web content, as well as full-text magazine articles.
Because of the breadth of content, some students use Britannica as a one-stop destination for all their needs, especially for shorter assignments. Watch out for a European bias here, because some topics unique to the U.S. get ephemeral treatment.
CQ Researcher Plus Archive
In-depth, unbiased reports covering "...political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the U.S. economy."
Credo Reference
A great place to start your research, Credo offers Reference articles on just about any topic, and allows you to launch further article and library book searches directly from your results page.
Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Search dozens of encyclopedias from a variety of subject areas.

Searching the Library Catalog for Encyclopedias

Find print and electronic encyclopedias in our collection by combining your topic keywords with the word "encyclopedia" in the search bar below. EXAMPLE: "conflict and encyclopedia" You might also try combining topic keywords with words like "handbook," "dictionary," "research guide," or "companion."

eBook Collections which include Encyclopedias

ScienceDirect Reference Books
Use this Advanced Search page to search just within ScienceDirect's hundreds of scholarly encyclopedias.
ProQuest eBook Central (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion eBooks)
Over 18,000 librarian-selected eBook titles covering Asian Studies, Women's Studies, Black Studies, Hispanic/Latino Studies and much more.

More Encyclopedias

ABC-CLIO eBook Collection
Search over a dozen ABC-CLIO Reference titles individually or simultaneously to find high-quality, authoritative, scholarly information on a variety of topics.
CQ Press Library
Includes encyclopedias and Historic Documents series.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
This database provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.
Sage Reference
Multiple online encyclopedias from Sage Publishers on a broad range of topics.
Salem Press Online
Includes electronic editions of a number of Salem Press titles from History, Literature, and Science. This collection includes the "Decades" reference set covering the 1950's through the 1990's, and Great Events from History covering the 17th Century through the 20th Century, plus "Notorious Lives" a biographical encyclopedia.

Subject & Specialized Encyclopedias

Subject encyclopedias focus on a particular topic or are written from particular scholarly perspective (sociological, medical, historical etc.). Specialized dictionaries, handbooks, and companions can also provide more nuanced overviews of topics. Use subject or specialized encyclopedias to:

Refine a topic
Get background information (history, definitions, statistics, etc.)
Identify new keywords to use in your searching and writing
Find recommended reading lists on a topic

Here are examples of subject encyclopedias:

Encyclopedia of Archaeology by Efthymia Nikita & Thilo Rehren (Editors-In-Chief)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2024
Encyclopedia of Biodiversity by Samuel M. Scheiner (Editor-In-Chief)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2023
Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict by Lester R. Kurtz (Editor-In-Chief)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2022

Open-Access Encyclopedias

Scholarpedia
Aims to provide in-depth scholarly treatment of topics within mathematics and physical, biological, behavioral, and social sciences.