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Unit 7: Evaluating Reference Resources
Lesson 1: What & Why
What are Reference Resources?
Reference resources, which together make-up the Library’s Reference Collection, provide facts, definitions, short articles, statistics, summaries, and overviews of a wide range of topics, from the humanities, natural sciences, law, and medicine to careers, higher education, and government publications. Reference works are designed to be consulted rather than read them from beginning to end, and do not circulate.
Why Use Reference Resources?
Use Reference Books to:
- Start your research
- Get background information
- Get introduced to your topic
- Get an overview of your topic
- Find and confirm facts
- Get a definition for a term, concept, or phrase
- Identify the names of key players, places, and concepts about your research topic
- Get biographical information, including vital statistics and career overviews
- Access government information
- Get the population of a city or country
- Find statistical data
- Get contact information for an organization or corporation
- Find quick answers to your research-related questions