Typical questions

• • Who was the 20th US president?

• • What is the date of birth of the Prime Minister?

Starting points

• • Many free resources are now available online. However, some commercial and Wikipedia style entries may not be accurate. Ask the student what they already know about the individual (e.g. age, nationality, affiliations) and use this as a basis for research.

• • Many nations publish dictionaries of national biography which contain summaries of the lives of some of their key men and women. These can often be traced via the national library website. In some cases they may even offer free versions. However, do remember to check the date range as they may not include people who are still alive.

• • Governments often publish CVs and other biographical information about prime ministers and presidents online. These can be more detailed than reference books, offering online speeches and articles not available elsewhere.

• • Some professions, such as the military, civil service and clergy, publish information about their leading members in annual directories.

• • Commercial company databases often contain career related information about CEOs and board members. See the Company chapter.

• • Many lecturers also have their own home pages and Google Scholar entries that list and even provide free access to publications. Often these can be traced by searching for the name of the university or individual via Google. However, do remember that these may not always be kept up to date. Check for information about when the page was last updated.

Recommended resources

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (DND) (Subscription)

www.oxforddnb.com

National record of over 60,000 men and women (deceased) who have shaped British history from earliest times to the current day. Entries include bibliographies and links to related websites; many also have portraits. Non-subscribers can access podcasts and free daily Twitter postings.

American Dictionary of National Biography (Subscription)

www.anb.org

More than 19,000 entries for important historic Americans. Entries include portraits and lists of biographic sources for further reading. Free access to a biography of the day.

Australian Dictionary of Biography

adb.anu.edu.au

Free access to over 12,000 entries of famous Australians from all walks of life. Covers the period from the European discovery of the continent onwards. Entries for individuals who died after 1990 are being gradually added.