Research Guides: WRI 208: Discovering New Pasts: Background Information

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias are great places to find background, contextual or general information about a topic, or multiple sub-topics of a larger discipline, topic, theme, subject, etc., and there are incredibly specialized ones out there! The articles themselves are often written by experts and provide a list of further sources/bibliography. The size of the article can vary considerably from very brief, to many pages long. Wikipedia is a fine first step, although coverage is always being improved and there are gaps. Source links at the bottom may be broken/lead nowhere. Don't rule out the use of scholarly encyclopedias available via the library.

Finding tips:

1. Do a subject (browse) search in the library catalog for: SUBJECT encyclopedias, e.g.

human rights encyclopedias
philosophy encyclopedias

The source in question may be in print in the library or in offsite storage, OR may be available in full online.

2. Use the Databases search to find online encyclopedias. 70 titles come up that way, along with 11 more with encyclopaedia.

Reference Books

Encyclopedias, handbooks and companions are great ways to get background information to situate oneself within a broad topic, understand the terms used to describe some topics, and identify sources related to a particular topic. In addition to the online resources listed below, one can also do a Subject (browse) search in the library catalog: e.g. RENAISSANCE ENCYCLOPEDIAS, identifying any topic you can think of. ONLINE options can be selected as a start (on the left).

Cambridge Collections Online This link opens in a new window
Searchable full text access to the complete Cambridge Companions to literature, philosophy, religion, and classics.
Historical Dictionaries Online This link opens in a new window
Dictionaries with timelines covering nations of the world, ancient civilizations, intelligence & security, literature, peoples & cultures, philosophy, pop culture (art, music, cinema), religion, sports, United States politics, and wars & conflicts,
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Full-text of hundreds of dictionaries and other reference works in the humanities and social sciences, published by Oxford University Press.
Routledge Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Provides overview of classic and current research and future trends in the social sciences and humanities, while at the same time providing an authoritative guide to theory and method, the key sub-disciplines, and the primary debates of today.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Full-text, searchable versions of several hundred paperbacks published by Oxford University Press. Each volume treats a large subject, is written by a well-known scholar (several are Princeton faculty), and includes further readings. These works provide more context on a topic than does an encyclopedia article.
Wiley Online Library This link opens in a new window

Online Encyclopedias available at Princeton
We have many specialized encyclopedias covering just about every field. This links to one list (multiple pages), but is not exhaustive.
Routledge: The Basics (series)
Another useful series: Princeton may have in print or online, or do ask if a particular title is of interest.
Wikipedia
While it is not advisable to use this as a source in an academic paper, it can sometimes LEAD you to other great sources, especially on contemporary topics.

OBO

Oxford Bibliographies is another great research tool for starting out, although this resource does not yet cover all disciplines. The ANTHROPOLOGY module, for example, includes a wealth of resources listed, arranged by type and with very useful annotations. See the ARCHAEOLOGY article, with a list of additional Related Articles on the left. There is also a "Heritage Management" bibliography in the CLASSICS module, and "Cultural Landscape" and "Urban Planning and Geography" in the GEOGRAPHY module.