Specialized Reference Sources - Activity

Introduction | Prep | Activity

Explore what reference sources can do (20 minutes)

Explore at least two reference books below. Use the sample task to focus your exploration.

Consider:

  • What kind of information does the book include?
  • How is the book organized? Are you noticing any patterns among different sources?
  • If there were a book structured like this in your field, what topic would you want it to be on?

Reference books and sample tasks

Note: The references in this exercise are all available online. For materials accessed through Open Library, you will need to create a free account.

  1. Ayer Directory of Publications Links to an external site.

    I'm mapping out professional networks. I want to know the main newspaper editors active in California in 1979.

  2. Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics Links to an external site.

    I am concerned about the recent global shortage of agar because it’s important for my lab to have a regular supply. I want to better understand the different industries that use agar and what they use it for. (Compare to the Wikipedia page on agar Links to an external site..) 

  3. Encyclopedia of Cold War Espionage, Spies, and Secret Operations Links to an external site.

    I’m interested in named intelligence operations of the Cold War era - anything called Operation Something. I want to develop a shortlist of operations and key players involved to research further.

  4. The Encyclopedia of Superheroes on Film and Television Links to an external site.

    I'm studying how screenwriters have adapted the Marvel Universe characters to the screen. I need good plot summaries to help me figure out which episodes to focus on watching and to track themes. The summaries I've found on Wikipedia for Nightman are too brief and often lack writer credits.

  5. The Directory of Tunes and Musical Themes Links to an external site.

    I’m reading a novel that includes an unidentified bar of a melody. I can’t sing or read music, but I’d like to figure out what tune it is.

  6. MLA Handbook, 9th Edition Links to an external site.

    I'm incorporating a quote into my sentence. The grammar is incorrect and there needs to be a comma after the quoted phrase, but there's none in my source. Should I add the comma inside or outside the closing quotation mark?

  7. Global Data Locator Links to an external site.

    I'm interested in global cotton production since the 1950s. Where can I find relevant statistics? 

  8. Robert Frost Encyclopedia Links to an external site.

    I want a quick overview of Robert Frost's relationship with Harvard University. I also want to know where the major collections of Robert Frost material are across the country. I'm particularly interested in finding the books he owned. 

    Hint: the index in this encyclopedia is terrible, but the book is available for preview on Google Books. If the topic "collectors and collections" hadn't occurred to you (say you tried to look under "libraries" or "archives" or "papers" or "letters" instead), you'd have an easier time searching Google's preview to find your information in the encyclopedia.

  9. English Catalogue of Books Links to an external site.

    I’m tracking the reputation of Charles Dickens through the early 20th century. I’d like to know the Dickens novels published every year through the 1920s, and how much they cost.

  10. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition Links to an external site.

    I'm preparing an article manuscript in APA style. I want to know if I should include the mathematical formula for every statistic I applied. The journal I'm planning to submit to uses the 7th edition of APA style.

  11. Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing through World History Links to an external site.

    I want to compare 16th-century peasant and merchant clothing across different nations. How should I get started?

  12. Wood Handbook: Wood as an engineering material Links to an external site.

    I want to find the best native US wood to use when building a table. It needs to be resistant to scratching and marring (measured by hardness).

  13. Periodical Title Abbreviations Links to an external site.

    In looking for articles for my research topic, I’ve come across some interesting references in other publications. To find these items, I need to figure out what these abbreviated journal titles mean:

    • Proc Camb Philos Soc 
    • Annu Rev Ling

Keep exploring 

When you’re at the library, take a moment to browse through the reference books.

As you browse, imagine a research question that the reference source could answer. Exploring these sources will help you predict the parts of your research that need a reference source.

You have completed Specialized Reference Sources. Explore more modules.

Introduction | Prep | Activity