Subject Encyclopedias

Olin Library Reference Collection  Subject encyclopedias are great for:
  1. choosing a topic
  2. educating yourself quickly
  3. perspective on a topic
  4. variant spellings, vocabulary, terminology
  5. bibliography

Literary Reference Sources

Reference Sources for Russian Culture and History

Use authoritative dictionaries and reference sources.

Wikipedia might be a handy tool in some cases, but it's not what your professors would call a reliable or authoritative reference source. The library resources listed below provide access to scholarly information on a range of subjects. Use the Library's Research Guides to find many more.


Encyclopedias on Food and Culture

Some Basic Research Tools

And still more alternatives to Wikipedia!


Multidisciplinary Reference Sources

Oxford Reference Online
Searchable database of 100 language and subject dictionaries and reference works of Oxford University Press. Each topical division contains searchable versions of the latest editions of published dictionaries and encyclopedias.Covers general reference, language, science and medicine, humanities and social sciences, business and professional subjects.
Oxford Bibliographies Online
Offers peer-reviewed annotated bibliographies on specific topics in a growing range of subject areas. There are at least 50 specific topical bibliographies in each subject area. Each of these features an introduction to the topic. Bibliographies are browsable by subject area and keyword searchable.
Sage Reference Online
A database of reference books published by SAGE, including such areas as African American studies, aging & anthropology, business and management, communication and media studies, counseling and psychotherapy, criminology and criminal justice, economics, education, environment, family studies, gender & sexuality studies, geography, health and social welfare, history, politics and international relations, psychology, research methods and evaluation, science, philosophy, and theology, sociology, and urban studies and planning.