Library Basics

Reference Books

The Libraries’ reference collection consists of specialized encyclopedias, statistical handbooks, guides, indexes, and other tools. Reference books provide an introduction to a topic, terminology, and issues, as well as facts such as statistics.

Example: the general encyclopedia, such as the World Book or Britannica

Of all information resources, reference books are generally considered the most “objective” sources because they incorporate many different sources and viewpoints.

The CQ Researcher is a good example of a reference book because it contains:

Background on a topic
Statistics
Differing viewpoints on an issue
Bibliography of additional sources

View a sample issue of The CQ Researcher

The CQ Researcher is a particularly good reference source for preparing debates or writing a paper on a controversial issue. Each week a new report is produced on a topic of public interest. Skimming through the index or the reports can help you pick a topic.

Reference books can be found using the library catalog. Ask a librarian for assistance in searching for a reference book for your topic.