UVM Libraries Research Guides: Debate Team: A Library Research Guide (Morgan-Parmett): Background Information

Collections of Online Encyclopedias & Companions & Dictionaries - All Subjects

Why Use Reference Sources
Print and electronic reference works are useful in a number of ways. They are neutral in tone and: provide a scholarly yet accessible introduction to a topic in the broadest sense; identify key ideas and themes; may point to important people associated with a topic; introduce unfamiliar terms that can be added to a list of keywords; provide a bibliography (aka "works cited," "suggested sources") for further study.

The library subscribes to many electronic scholarly subject-specific encyclopedias, companions, and dictionaries from two publishers: Gale and Oxford University Press. In addition to searching each title individually, you may search across all the titles in each publisher's aggregated database. The library owns many, many more subject-specific print and online encyclopedias, companions, and dictionaries. Ask a librarian for help in locating these.

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
This resource is a collection of encyclopedias, dictionaries and guide-books in e-book format, covering a multidisciplinary range of subjects. It is possible to search individual titles (click the orange "GALE EBOOKS" image on the upper left of the screen to see and access the available titles) or cross-search the entire collection.

Oxford Reference
Cross-search (or search individual titles) dictionaries, companions, and encyclopedias from Oxford University Press, spanning a variety of subject areas (e.g., philosophy, religion, literature, art, etc.).

Debate Team: A Library Research Guide (Morgan-Parmett)

Collections of Online Encyclopedias & Companions & Dictionaries - All Subjects

Additional Source for a Few More Online Subject Encyclopedias