What is reference sources in Library
AlmanacsAlmanacs are not usually used for extensive research , but are good for looking up specific facts, statistics, tables and lists about people, places, events, countries, organizations, zip codes, and popular culture such as sports and entertainment. Generally, almanacs cover a broad period of time, whileYearbooks, which contain similar information, only cover a given year. Show
AtlasesAtlases contain an organized group of pictorial or illustrated political, cultural, physical, road, and/or thematic maps. Atlases may be organized around a specific subject, theme, or geographic area. BibliographiesBibliographies compile comprehensive lists of resources that share one or more common attributes about a particular subject, person, geographical area, etc. Some bibliographies also briefly describe the resources that are listed. One should consult a bibliography when they want citations that will guide them to specific resources. BiographiesBiographies contain information about people, both living and deceased - they can contain brief summaries of data about individuals, contain lists of citations of resources about a person, or be full length books detailing the life of one particular person. Biographies may cover general important figures, or may be organized thematically/geographically, etc. One would use a biography to look up facts or detailed information about a person or group of people.
Chronologies / TimelinesChronologies and timelines summarize the advancement of an event or happening by supplying brief milestones in the progression of the event. The summaries will be presented day-by-day, year-by-year, or by another chronological breakdown. Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and antonyms (opposites) but usually don't define the words. There are also dialect and slang dictionaries, dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms, dictionaries of quotations, and picture dictionaries. Dictionaries can be unabridged (general) or can be thematically organized in some way. DirectoriesDirectories contain an organized list of people and/or organizations, and help one to find information such as addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, etc. for the organizations or people included within the scope of that directory. EncyclopediasEncyclopedias contain full coverage of information about an area of knowledge. They can be general or can cover a specific subject, and contain alphabetically organized entries with varying detail. These are great starting points for fact-finding, getting background topic information, learning of key events and individuals, or starting a research project. Below is a major general encyclopedia. See Best Practices on this guides Home page to pinpoint valuable subject-specific encyclopedias.
Handbooks / ManualsA handbook contains facts about a specific subject or instructions that can be used to accomplish something. A handbook can come in several forms, such as a manual for completing tasks, or a guidebook providing information about a subject, region, etc. (such as a travel guidebook). Handbooks are often designed for quick consultation and easy portability. IndexesIndexes are compilations on information, generally arranged either alphabetically or numerically, that indicate the location of related information either within or outside of the same resource. Answered By: Daniel DyllaLast Updated: Sep 14, 2022 Views: 1219A Reference Source is usually a physical or digital document that you would refer to for more information about a topic. Examples include dictionaries (refer to for definitions of words) and encyclopedias (refer to for broad summaries about a topic). These documents are referred to, rather than read cover-to-cover. They are typically information-dense and factual, written as unbiased as possible. Each HCC Library usually has a Reference Section, where reference sources are kept for in-library use. Comments (0)Related TopicsLive Chat with a LibrarianWhat are the references in the library?Types of Reference Materials. Dictionaries.. Encyclopedias.. Almanacs.. Directories.. Hanbooks and yearbooks.. Atlases and bibliographies.. Why is reference sources important in the library?These sources provide background information or help you to find other sources. They are also great for quick facts, statistics, or contact information, and can be useful for learning specific vocabulary. Many contain bibliographies for further reading or additional sources on your topic.
What are reference sources and what are they used for?"Reference sources" are used to locate general factual information on a particular topic. They usually are read selectively for specific pieces of information, rather than from beginning to end. Examples of reference sources include: Encyclopedias.
What is a reference source list?The reference list is a detailed list of all the sources that you have cited within your work, including books, eBooks, journal articles, theses, webpages etc. Items are listed in alphabetical order in the reference list according to the main author/editor's surname.
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