General Background Info
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Credo Reference Academic CoreA comprehensive collection of subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks. Also included are short reference videos and high-resolution images. Useful background information source.
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Britannica AcademicA general interest encyclopedia that is updated continually.
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Oxford English Dictionary Online (OED)Widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language, this historical dictionary provides the meaning, history, and pronunciation of words traced through quotations from classic literature to contemporary and popular works. Also includes the Oxford Historical Thesaurus, timelines of words, and provides the ability to browse words by subject, usage, region, or origin.
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Oxford Reference Online: PremiumEncyclopedias and dictionaries for the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences.
What about Wikipedia?
Wikipedia can be edited by anyone, so make sure you use another source to confirm the information you find there. And check with your professor before you cite it as a reference.
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias and Handbooks
Background Sources
Reference tools such as dictionaries and encyclopedias are good places to start your research because they provide an overview of the topic as well as keywords, dates, and facts.
Search Tips:
- Try looking at the bibliography at the end of the entry for a list of other sources such as relevant journal articles and books.
- When you have found books on your topic, look at the books on the shelf nearby to see if they are related to your topic.
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Encyclopedia of the Environment in American Literature by Call Number: Ref ONLINEPublication Date: 2013 -
Encyclopedia of Environment and Society by Call Number: Ref HM856 .E53 2007 V.1 - 5ISBN: 9781412927611Publication Date: 2007-08-27 -
The Cambridge Introduction to Literature and the Environment by Call Number: Stacks PN98.E36 C53 2011ISBN: 9780521896351Publication Date: 2011-01-06 -
Encyclopedia of American Environmental History by Call Number: Ref GE150 .E53 2011 v.1 -4ISBN: 9780816067930Publication Date: 2010-11-01 -
The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms by Call Number: Online and Reference Main Level PN41.C67ISBN: 9780199208272Publication Date: 2009 -
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research@fairfield.edu
203.254.4000 ext. 2188 (call)
203.295.7542 (text)
Research Appointment
