Oxford Reference Online
Oxford Reference Online brings together
language and subject reference works from one of the world's biggest
reference publishers into a single cross-searchable resource.
The Premium Collection
offers over 175 fully-indexed, cross-searchable dictionary, language
reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University
Press, including detailed information across a broad subject range from
titles in the world-renowned Oxford Companions Series.
Introduction
"Reference" sources are entres to research.
They provide definitions or introductory information of the sort found in dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks. They lead to published or unpublished scholarly writing, or to "primary source" material via library catalogs, article databases, and bibliographies.
Their purpose is to answwer factual questions and to help researchers identify and eventually obtain the information needed to investigate and learn about a topic.
* There are a few significant differences between the type of sources recommended here and Wikipedia, for example.
• Subject dictionaries, handbooks, etc. acquired by the library are almost always written and edited by scholars in the field.
• Authors are identified.
• Entries, chapters, etc. are based on broad and deep knowledge of a subject, not on a single source.
Almanacs, Directories, Guides...
Almanac of American Politics (in print)
CQ Press Guide to Congress (in print)
7th edition, 2013
Guide to the Presidency and the Executive Branch (in print)
5th edition, 2013
Guide to U.S. Elections (in Print)
6th edition, 2010
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia of new media - Steve Jones
Electronic book
Los Angeles : Sage Publications, c2008.
2 v. : ill. ; 29 cm.
Baker Berry Ref. JA85 .E64 2008