Finding Information in Books

General Encyclopedias      Since they are designed to cover all branches of knowledge, general encyclopedias are likely to have some information on every topic. They are often good sources to consult first, since they introduce the main concepts about a subject and suggest other sources that may be helpful.

Specialized/Subject-Specific Encyclopedias    Specialized or subject-specific encyclopedias provide detailed articles written by experts in a field. There are many specialized encyclopedias. Examples:

Encyclopedia of African-American culture and history	E185 .E54 1996
Encyclopedia of Psychology	BF31 .E52 2000

Locating books in the EMC Library catalog

Call Number Exercise http://www.pitt.edu/~ford29/SatchLCall/COMPLETE/quizonly.html

Basic Reference Sources http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/jmegill/Sabbatical/ReferenceSources/FrameSet.html

Reference Sources http://www.denison.edu/ohio5/infolit/b3refsources/

Finding Information in Magazines and Jounrals    Magazines and Journals can be an excellent places to gather backgroundn information for your research project. It is often the most current information in a short format with the critical facts included. Finding information in newspapers.

How to Use these Resources Effectively        As you read about a subject, take note of distinctive and unique words used to describe the topic. These will be the keywords you can use to search for additional information in other sources.

• To save yourself time and trouble, write down the author, title, and publication information for every source you consult. In the case of magazine articles, print out a copy of the online article or make a copy of the magazine article. You will need this information if you need to write a bibliography or find the publication again.
• Locate the publications listed in the bibliography at the end of articles. These ready-made reading lists are sources authors may have used to put their work together.