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Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2020

Heather Dawson
Affiliation:
LSE Library
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Summary

Typical questions

  • • What year did Britain join the European Union?

  • • I need a definition of ‘imposter syndrome‘

Points to consider

  • • Many dictionaries and encyclopedias are now available online. However, those that are free are often limited. Most libraries subscribe to reference e- book packages that contain excellent examples. Students should therefore be directed to search local library catalogues and electronic libraries first. Remind them that searches via Google may not retrieve the correct login page for library subscriptions.

  • • Most students use Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org). This can be excellent but they should be encouraged to evaluate the age, source and validity of the information offered. A recommended method is to explore the bibliographies and external links contained within articles as these often lead directly to original sources.

  • • This section highlights quality general resources. The subject sections cover specialist reference resources. There are also separate Biographical Information and Acronyms and Abbreviations chapters.

Recommended resources

Dictionaries and encyclopedias

Gale Virtual Reference Library (Subscription)

support.gale.com

Specialised library of over 1,700 dictionaries and subject encyclopedias.

Oxford Reference Online (Subscription)

www.oxfordreference.com

Includes a large collection of English, foreign language and subject-based dictionaries, companions and subject encyclopedias published by Oxford University Press.

Cambridge Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org

Specialises in resources for learners of the English language. Includes free grammar and translation features.

Oxford English Dictionary (OED) (Subscription) [Specialist]

www.oed.com

Widely regarded as an authoritative guide to the history of the English language. Specialises in tracing the historical appearance of words and variations in their usage. Website offers free access to ‘the word of the day’.

Britannica Online (Subscription) [Basic]

www.britannica.com

Search content from the world famous Encyclopaedia Britannica. Some free articles offering basic definitions. Subscribers can also access timelines, multimedia content and quizzes.

Encyclopedia.com

www.encyclopedia.com

Provides free access to definitions, facts and basic statistics from over 100 credited resources, including The Columbia Encyclopedia.

Merriam-Webster

www.merriam-webster.com

Website includes some free access to an English language dictionary and thesaurus as well as word games and quizzes.

Oxford Research Encyclopedias (Subscription) [Basic]

oxfordre.com

A major series being developed by OUP in association with international scholars. Designed to introduce students to a subject area. Each peer-reviewed article contains a bibliography to guide further reading. When titles are released, content is often free.

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