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Background Sources - Encyclopedias & Other Reference Works

Many encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources are available electronically through OC Library's Encyclopedias page. We also have print encyclopedias with unique content. Reference sources can give you authoritative background on large, popular, or controversial topics. You may be accustomed to using the popular open-web encyclopedia, Wikipedia, or even general encyclopedias like World Book or Encyclopedia Britannica but some of the most useful encyclopedias in academic research are specialized encyclopedias, which focus on just one subject or discipline, such as The Encyclopedia of the Human Brain, or The Encyclopedia of Archeology.

 

EXAMPLE: If you are researching the health risks of caffeine, you will find good background information in The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Food Labels through OC Library's database, Credo Reference.

 

This closed captioned video explains how to use specialized encyclopedias via Credo Reference.