Research Guides: PLS 399 Senior Thesis: Online Reference Encyclopedias and Books

General Collections of Encyclopedias

These resources contain many reference books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) covering a wide range of subjects.

They are good resources when you aren't sure of your topic; they allow you to explore a topic by providing you with general background information about a subject.

General Collections of Online Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, etc.

These resources contain many reference books, (such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) covering a wide range of subjects.

They are a good place to begin your research, especially when you aren't sure of your topic; they provide you with general overviews of a particular subject.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
The Gale Virtual Reference Library is an online full-text collection of valuable reference books in multiple subject areas. The collection can be browsed by subject or searched by keyword. Individual titles can also be accessed from the RU Library Catalog.
Sage eReference Encyclopedias
Provides access to many encyclopedias in a variety of academic disciplines, including: Business, Communication & Media Studies, Criminology & Criminal Justice, Economics, Education, Family Studies, History, Psychology and Social Issues.
CQ Press Electronic Library
A reference resource, written by journalists and scholars, for research in government, politics, history, public policy and current affairs, both in the United States and globally.

Reports are comprised of an overview of a topic, current situation, pros and cons of an issue and the future outlook.

Not a scholarly resource, but is valuable for exploring potential research topics.
Credo Reference
Credo Reference is an online collection of many reference books covering a wide variety of subjects, with entries covering such subjects as medicine, art, technology, law and more, all aggregated and integrated in a robust search engine.