Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
For Your Reference
Reference sources such as dictionaries and encyclopedias can provide background information. Use the resources here when you:
- Want to quickly learn about a topic.
- Have trouble selecting a topic.
- Don’t know what search terms to use.
- Need to find facts and figures.
Virtual Reference
Dictionaries
The following is a sample from our reference collection.
- A Critical Dictionary of Educational Concepts byCall Number: Ref. 370.3 B279ISBN: 0312002297Publication Date:
This alphabetic guide offers a critical analysis of the central and also of the more important controversial concepts in educational theory and practice. The authors address each idea or issue by means of an essay-length analysis.
- Dictionary of Psychological Testing, Assessment and Treatment byCall Number: eBookISBN: 9781435603042Publication Date:
The fully revised and updated second edition of this well-established reference provides over 400 new or improved terms, and is an exhaustive guide to the key terms used in psychological testing, assessment, and measurement.
- Dictionary of Special Education and Rehabilitation byCall Number: Ref. 371.903 V586d3ISBN: 0891082123Publication Date:
Provides definitions of more than 2,000 terms unique to special education and rehabilitation. This work provides listings of professional organizations and resources, and is a useful reference for those in the special education field.
Almanacs & Handbooks
- Handbook of Early Literacy Research byCall Number: 372.6 H19154ISBN: 157230653XPublication Date:
Important discoveries in research increasingly highlight the role of early literacy in young children’s development—and facilitate the growth of practices and policies that promote success among diverse learners. The Handbook of Early Literacy Research presents cutting-edge knowledge on all aspects of literacy learning in the preschool years.
- Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education byCall Number: Ref. 370.117 H19172b2ISBN: 0787959154Publication Date:
In this second edition, twenty-nine classic chapters have been revised and updated, and twenty new chapters have been added to reflect how the field has evolved since the first edition of the Handbook was published in .
- Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts byCall Number: Ref. 428.007 H191f2ISBN: 0805837868Publication Date:
The Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts, Second Edition, offers a comprehensive overview of research in the field. This thoroughly updated second edition reflects developments in educational research and new information within the areas of language learning and instruction since the publication of the first edition in .
Encyclopedias
- Encyclopedia of Educational Research byCall 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 Research Design byCall Number: eBookISBN: 1452265828Publication Date:
Comprising more than 500 entries, the Encyclopedia of Research Design explains how to make decisions about research design, undertake research projects in an ethical manner, interpret and draw valid inferences from data, and evaluate experiment design strategies and results.
- Encyclopedia of Special Education byCall Number: Ref. 371.903 En19ISBN: 0471828580Publication Date:
Alphabetical listing of over 2,000 topics that include biographies, educational and psychological tests, interventions and service delivery, handicapping conditions, related services, legal matters, and miscellaneous. Intended for professionals and general public.
- International Encyclopedia of Adult Education byCall Number: Ref. 374.003 In851ISBN: 1403917353Publication Date:
The Encyclopedia of Adult Education is the first comprehensive reference work in this important and fast-growing field, and is an invaluable resource for adult educators who research and teach in the fields of higher education, work in community-based settings, or practise in public or private organizations.
- World Education Encyclopedia byCall Number: eBookISBN: 0787676969Publication Date:
A reference on education around the world includes more than 225 countries, with each entry providing a history of the country; the constitutional and legal foundations of the education system; an overview of the educational system itself; sections on preprimary, primary, secondary, and higher education; administration, finance, and educational research; the profession of teaching; and a summary.
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
- Why search here? This encyclopedia features brief topical overviews useful for beginning almost any research project.
- What’s included? This is a general encyclopedia containing over 25,000 full-text entries.
- Oxford English Dictionary Online
- Why search here? The Oxford English Dictionary is the most authoritative and exhaustive dictionary of the English language, past and present. With the OED, a student can track how the meaning of a word has changed over time. This is especially valuable for students of English.
- What’s included? The OED includes not only current definitions but historical definitions and usages accompanied by examples from a wide range of literature.
Legal & Business Information
- Legal Information Source
- Why search here? Legal Information Source contains legal forms and legal information aimed at the layman rather than the specialist. Topics include family law, property law, and business law, among others.
- What’s included? The collection includes legal reference books from Nolo and thousands of legal forms.
- Small Business Source
- Why search here? Small Business Source contains multiple resources on starting or managing a business. This may be useful for Business majors.
- What’s included? Contents include almost 400 full-text magazines and journals and 400 full-text reference books, as well as market and industry research reports. Additional resources include instructional videos and state-specific demographic information.
English & Literature
- Gale Literature Resource Center
- Why search here? This is the most important database for the English program, and it is also useful for other fields in the humanities.
- What’s included? This database contains full-text author biographies, literary analyses, and reviews for a wide range of literature, conveniently sorted by resource type.
- Poetry & Short Story Reference Source
- Why search here? This database features full-text poems, short stories, and dramatic works, as well as biographies, critical essays, and eBooks.
- What’s included? The database contains 400,000 poems, over 50,000 short stories, over 4,000 dramatic works, and over 1,100 eBooks.
Health & Psychology
- Consumer Health Reference eBook Collection
- Why search here? This collection of reference texts supplements Consumer Health Complete.
- What’s included? The collection includes almost 370 full-text, health-related reference works aimed at the general reader.
- Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print
- Why search here? The Mental Measurements Yearbook contains descriptions and reviews of commercially available psychometric tests used in education, business, and psychology. Although potentially useful to all students whose field of research involves mental tests, this database is particularly important for graduate students planning their own research projects.
- What’s included? The Mental Measurements Yearbook annually produces extensive descriptions of new testing instruments with reviews by subject experts. Tests in Print maintains a bibliography of all testing instruments currently available in English.
Home & Craft
- Hobbies & Crafts Source
- Why search here? Hobbies & Crafts Source contains an array of popular publications on crafts, hobbies, and recreation.
- What’s included? The database contains over 740 magazines and books as well as over 700 instructional videos.
- Home Improvement Source
- Why search here? Home Improvement Source contains magazines, reference materials, and instructions on all aspects of do-it-yourself home improvement and repair.
- What’s included? The database contains thousands of repair instructions and a wide range of home-improvement magazines and reference books.
Schools & Public Libraries
- MAS Complete
- Why search here? This database contains popular magazines and books on a wide range of nonfiction subjects. Although intended for high schools, it may be useful for subjects such as sports science, fine arts, social science, social work, and others.
- What’s included? Contents include over 540 full-text magazines, 440 reference books, thousands of biographies and primary-source documents, and an image collection.
- MAS Reference eBook Collection
- Why search here? This reference book collection supplements MAS Complete. Although intended for high school students, its contents may be useful in undergraduate classes.
- What’s included? Over 370 reference books on a wide variety of subjects are included.
- MasterFILE Complete
- Why search here? This collection contains a wide selection of popular magazines, reference books, and primary-source documents on many subjects. It is especially useful for researching business and current events.
- What’s included? The collection includes over 2,300 magazines, 1,100 eBooks, 55,000 primary-source documents, and 75,000 Associated Press videos, as well as an image collection.
- MasterFILE Reference eBook Collection
- Why search here? This reference collection supplements MasterFILE Complete. Although intended for public libraries, its contents may be useful in undergraduate classes.
- What’s included? Almost 780 reference books on a wide variety of subjects are included.
- Middle Search Reference eBook Collection
- Why search here? This reference book collection supplements Middle Search Plus. Although intended for middle schools, its contents may be useful in undergraduate classes.
- What’s included? Over 300 reference books on a wide variety of subjects are included.
- Primary Search Reference eBook Collection
- Why search here? This reference book collection supplements Primary Search. Although intended for elementary school students, its contents may be useful to the Division of Education or anyone looking for a cursory overview of a topic.
- What’s included? A large collection of children’s reference books on a wide variety of subjects is included.