Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Reference Works
Reference texts such as dictionaries and encyclopedias provide background information. These resources are useful when you:
- Want to quickly learn about a topic.
- Are having trouble selecting a topic for an assignment.
- Don’t know what search terms to use.
- Need to find facts and figures.
Virtual Reference
Mental Measurements Yearbook
This encyclopedia of psychometrics and testing instruments includes tests from psychology, business, and education.
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print
Produced by the Buros Center for Testing at the University of Nebraska, the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) provides users with a comprehensive guide to thousands of contemporary testing instruments.
Suggested Reference Works
The following is a sample from our reference collection.
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development by
Call Number: eBookISBN: 9780511126079Publication Date:The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Child Development is a definitive, accessible, and up-to-date account of all aspects of child development. Written by an international team of leading experts, it adopts an interdisciplinary approach covering topics that range from neonatal development to education, encompassing pediatrics, neuroscience, theories and research methods, physical development, social development, cognitive development, psychopathology and parenting.
Encyclopedia of Educational Research by
Call Number: Ref. 370.78 En19 5th ed.ISBN: 0029004314Publication Date:Sponsored by the American Educational Research Association, this encyclopedia provides a critical synthesis and interpretation of reported educational research on various issues from preschool to post-secondary education for 50 years.
Encyclopedia of Human Development by
Call Number: eBookISBN: 1849727880Publication Date:The first comprehensive, authoritative, and informative reference work that presents state-of-the-art research and ready-to-use facts from the fields of psychology, individual and family studies, and education in a way that is not too technical.
Handbook of Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Mental Health Assessment by
Call Number: eBookISBN: 9780195302806Publication Date:The Handbook of Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Mental Health Assessment brings together, for the first time, leading clinical researchers to provide empirically based recommendations for assessment of social-emotional and behavior problems and disorders in the earliest years.
Handbook of Psychoeducational Assessment by
Call Number: eBookISBN: 9780120585700Publication Date:The Handbook of Psychoeducational Assessment is a practical guide for educational and psychological professionals using norm-referenced tests in the ability, achievement, and behavioral assessment of children.
Reference Databases
These research databases contain full-text reference works.
Their content includes encyclopedias and specialized dictionaries but may also include journal articles and other sources.
General Reference
- Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
For students and adults alike, the Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia database indexes over 25,000 records, covering an array of topics.
- Oxford English Dictionary Online
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words—past and present—from across the English-speaking world.
Legal & Business Information
- Legal Information Reference Center
In addition to 225 full-text journals, this database features full-text legal reference books from the organization Nolo.
- Small Business Reference Center
This databases contains over 450 reference books related to business.
English & Literature
- Gale Literature Resource Center
In addition to full-text short stories, plays, poems, and articles on literature, the Gale Literature Resource Center offers access to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature.
- Poetry & Short Story Reference Center
In addition to full-text stories and poems as well as critical essays, this database contains articles from reference works on poetry and literature.
Health & Psychology
- Consumer Health Reference eBook Collection
This ebook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general health topics including cancer and diabetes; weight management and exercise; allergies; senior care; social–emotional health; developmental disorders; and natural health.
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print
Produced by the Buros Center for Testing at the University of Nebraska, the Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY) provides users with a comprehensive guide to thousands of contemporary testing instruments.
Home & Craft
- Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center
Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
- Home Improvement Reference Center
Intended for public libraries, this database dedicated to home improvement and repair includes full-text reference works.
Schools & Public Libraries
- MAS Complete
Although designed for high schools, MAS Complete includes the contents of 440 full-text reference books that may be useful for beginning research or quick overviews of subjects.
- MAS Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for high-school students.
- MasterFILE Complete
Designed for public libraries, MasterFILE Premier includes the full text of 500 reference books that may be useful for general information or beginning research.
- MasterFILE Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects.
- Middle Search Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for middle-school students. Topics include social studies, math, history, language arts, technology, geography, culture, and science.
- Primary Search Reference eBook Collection
This eBook reference collection offers a rich selection of eBook titles covering a broad range of general reference subjects for primary-school students. Topics include social studies, history, language arts, geography, culture, math, and science.