Why | for finding background information and topic overviews. References are helpful for choosing a research topic and learning about areas of research and key questions in the field. They can also help you: identify and define unfamiliar terms, find keywords to use in online searches, and find tertiary sources for research and writing |
Where | references can be found by searching UW Libraries Search. They can be print and electronic. Some references can also be accessed free online |
How | type in your title or topic in the library catalog. Use key terms, boolean operators, and limiters to narrow your search |
Encyclopedias summarize and catalog background knowledge in a field.
Dictionaries provide short definitions of key concepts in a field.
Handbooks provide essays about recent developments and cutting-edge research in a field.