Communication 280: Introduction to Information Research Skills

HSU Library
Communication 280: Introduction to Information Research Skills
Guide to Using Reference Materials: Print and Electronic

Reference materials serve a variety of purposes and can frequently be used effectively as part of an information search strategy. Many can be used as starting points that lead to original research appearing in the "primary" literature. Reference materials can be used to:

define terminology--dictionaries
locate accepted knowledge and topical overviews--encyclopedias and handbooks
find factual information--directories and almanacs
identify research on specific--topics reviews and bibliographies
provide a graphic portrait of a topic--atlases and maps
find statistical information--statistical compilations

Following are some of the categories of print and electronic reference materials available in the HSU Library. Most of the print sources are available in the Reference Collection. To find materials in the Reference Collection:

Browse by subject classification in the Reference Collection using the Library of Congress Classification Outline.
Search in Catalyst using suggestions found under each category below.

Literature Guides

These are guides to reference resources, either in print or on the Internet.

Guide to Reference Books (Balay) 1996 (ref Z1035.1 S43 1996)
Ready Reference Collection (Internet Public Library)
Refdesk.com - "The single best source for facts on the Net"
Reference (Yahoo)
Reference Topics (Librarians' Index to the Internet)
Virtual Reference Sources (HSU Library)
Walford's Guide to Reference Material (Mullay and Schlicke) 1996 (ref Z 1035.1 W33 1996)

Almanacs

Most are found in the Reference Collection in the AY classification.

Sources
- Information Please Almanac (print copy in ref AY 64 I55)
- World Almanac and Book of Facts (print copy in ref AY 67 N5 W7)

Atlases

Most are located in the Atlas and Map Collection on the first floor of the Library. See Atlas and Map Collection (HSU Library) for a description of available maps and atlases.

Guides
- Geospatial Resources (Maps, GIS, Imagery) (HSU Library)

Bibliographies

Classified by subject in the Reference Collection and main book collections. Search Catalyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "bibliographies".

Dictionaries

Classified by subject in the Reference Collection. All scholarly disciplines have dictionaries for the specialized terminology of the discipline. Search Catalyst by broad subject in conjunction with the subject "dictionaries".

Directories

Generally classified by subject in the Reference Collection. Search Catalyst by broad subject in conjunction with the subdivision "directories". Directories in Print (ref AY 2001 D52) lists over 15,000 published directories in all disciplines. Many directories are now found on the web.

People
- Guides
  - Finding Biographical Information (HSU Library)
  - Virtual Reference Sources - Biographical Information (HSU Library)
- Sources
  - BioBase (ref micro MC 1419 - behind Information Desk) - indexes over 1,200 biographical directories
Organizations
- Sources
  - Gale's Ready Reference Shelf is a compilation of 14 major directories.
Places
- Sources
  - Columbia Gazetteer of the World (ref G 103.5 C65 1998)

Encyclopedias

Most general encyclopedias are found in the Reference Collection in the AE classification. Subject encyclopedias are found in their appropriate subject classification. Search Catalyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "encyclopedias".

Guides
- Selected List of Subject Encyclopedias (HSU Library)
Sources
- Columbia Encyclopedia
- Encyclopedia Britannica

Handbooks

Classified by subject in the Reference Collection and main book collections. Search Catalyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "handbooks".

Quotations

Most compilations are found in the Ref PN6080-6095. Also search Catalyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "quotations".

Guides
- Virtual Reference Sources - Quotations

Reviews

Search Catatyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "reviews" for review compilations and indexes.

Guides

Statistics

Browse in the Reference Collection in the HA classification for general statistical sources. For discipline specific statistics compilations, e.g. FAO Yearbook: Forest Products, search Catalyst by subject in conjunction with the subdivision "statistics".

Guides
- American Statistics Index (Congressional Information Service) annual (Docs Abstract HA 195 A46) Indexes federal publications that contain statistics.
- OWL 9 - Finding Statistics (HSU Library)
- Some Statistical/Data Sources on the Environment, Energy and Health (HSU Library)
- Statistical Resources on the Web (University of Michigan)
- Virtual Reference Sources - Statistics
Sources
- Statistical Abstract of the United States (US Bureau of the Census) annual (ref HA202 .S73)

Send comments and suggestions about this page to: Robert Sathrum
Last Updated: October 4, 2001