Reference books like dictionaries and encyclopedias are great ways to get background information on your topic. Looking up your topic can get you biographical or historical information, general concepts, lists of works, and related terms depending on your topic.
The type of information you gather from reference sources is seldom the kind of critical analysis your professors are looking for in your papers. Use reference sources to become familiar with your topic so that you can search smarter when you look for books and articles. You should generally refrain from using them in your papers. Situations vary, so if you're unsure, check with your instructor.
Open books stacked by Hh1718, CC BY-SA 4.0
This guide is designed to help you get started on your research in English 102. If you have any questions or want to set up an appointment to meet for more help, please contact a librarian.
Phone: 540-887-7085
Text: 540-300-4622
Email: ask@marybaldwin.edu
GLDYS is Grafton Library's catalog, which is a great place to start when searching for sources. Just be aware that this search will initially show you materials from libraries around the world, not just those here at Grafton. However, you can choose to refine your search results to only the materials held by Grafton by using the limiters available on the left side of the screen beside your search results.