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 |
Articles, books, case studies, datasets, and video covering the practices of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research methodologies. Expanded trial access to additional modules ends June 30, 2025.
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.