LibGuides: FYSEM 110UN: Underworlds (and Otherworlds): Background Info


Library Research Guides

Why background information?

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works can help you to discover basic information about a topic - names, dates, definitions, summaries, related terms that describe it, etc. These are good places to start when beginning research on an unfamiliar subject and when choosing a paper topic.

Selected reference works

English language dictionaries

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Free online version of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus.

Oxford English Dictionary
The finest and most comprehensive dictionary of the English Language. Includes extensive quotations documenting usage, searchable by author. For each word defined, the OED includes the etymology (origin and history of how its meanings have changed over time).

General encyclopedia

Encyclopedia Britannica
A good general encyclopedia covering all topics/subject areas.

Searchable collection of reference works (general and subject-specific)

Oxford Reference Online
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A searchable database of dictionaries, language reference, and subject encyclopedias published by Oxford University Press. A useful tool for searching across many reference works at once. Also helpful if the term or concept your searching may have different meanings in different fields of study.

Dictionaries of literary terms

Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
Provides clear and concise definitions of literary terms.

Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism
An indispensable resource for scholars and students of literary theory and discourse. Compiled by 275 specialists from around the world, the Guide presents a comprehensive historical survey of the field's most important figures, schools, and movements and is updated annually.

Example of a reputable, free online reference work

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
SEP was designed so that each entry is maintained and kept up-to-date by an expert or group of experts in the field. All entries and substantive updates are refereed by the members of an Editorial Board before they are made public, maintaining academic standards while evolving and adapting in response to new research.

Author biographies

Interested in learning more about the authors whose works you're studying in this course? These reference works can help:

Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete
Biographical dictionary with essays on the lives, works, and careers of literary figures from all eras and genres.
Biography in Context (aka Biography Resource Center)
Biography in Context includes 600,000+ biographical entries — on more than 528,000 individuals — spanning history and geography. Useful for finding information about more recent authors.

Other subjects

Visit the library's Research Guides site and use the By Subject link to browse all of the guides by subject area. Most guides have a Background Info tab/section that includes a list of specialized reference resources, print and electronic, that are useful for looking up terms, concepts, and finding basic information for that subject area.