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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. Reference sources can give you authoritative background on large, popular, or controversial topics. You may be accustomed to using general encyclopedias, or even the popular encyclopedia, Wikipedia, but some of the most useful encyclopedias in academic research are subject or specialized encyclopedias. 

 

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.