| What Do I Need? |
Type of Reference Book |
Location in the OSU Library |
How to Find in the Library Catalog (Advanced Search) |
| To find a list of books and articles on a topic. |
Bibliographies/Abstracts/
Indexes, Also try literature reviews in journals. (There were paper ones long before online ones.)
|
Reference section (1st floor).
May also be part of a book, article—check for references! The Library may not own everything listed in a bibliography. |
Use “bibliographies” or “sources” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword. |
| Definitions, subject overviews, broad perspective. |
Dictionaries/Thesauri |
Reference, (1st floor),
Stacks (the shelves) also many online.
|
Use “dictionaries” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword.
For history of words, try the Oxford English Dictionary Online; see Databases on the Library Homepage.
|
Use “dictionaries” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword.
For history of words, try the Oxford English Dictionary Online; see Databases on the Library Homepage.
|
Subject-specific encyclopedias |
General Reference (1st floor), but also many in the Stacks. |
Use either “encycloped?”, handbook?, or dictionaries” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword. |
| Concise data, formulas, charts, statistics, also background, broad context. |
Almanacs/Handbooks |
General Reference (1st floor), Government Documents (5th), Stacks. |
Use either “handbook?” or “dictionaries” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword. |
| Lists: people, places, industries, associations, addresses and basic facts. Good for contacting experts. |
Directories/Professional Associations, interest groups |
General Reference (1st floor), Internet; older copies often in Stacks. |
Use ”directories” in the subject field, along with your topic as another keyword. |
| To support your arguments with facts and numbers. |
Statistics (Many reference books include statistics, especially almanacs or the Statistical Abstract of the U.S. |
Government Documents are often good sources & sometimes are online—see the GovDocs homepage. Also try the Statistical Lexis-Nexis database |
Try “statistics” in the subject field, or the title field, along with your topic as another keyword. |
| Reports, guidebooks, laws, congressional testimony, research studies, etc. |
Government documents—state and Federal |
Government Documents (5th)
Try the Academic Lexis/Nexis database; get help from a librarian
|
Try “laws, statutes, etc.” in the library catalog subject heading field. |
| Find out WHERE--Graphic backup for statistics, how people interact with natural resources, etc. |
Maps/Atlases/Gazetteers, even road maps |
(5th), Map Room (basement),
General Reference (1st floor),
Government Documents
|
Try “maps” or “atlases” or “gazetteers” in the subject field in an advanced search. |
| Public opinion, attitudes, social trends. |
Opinion Polls and Surveys |
ProQuest, Academic Search Elite—try “public opinion polls” or “polls and surveys” |
Try “public opinion” or “public opinion polls” in the subject field |
| Background on authors, public figures. |
Biographical Information—
Biography and Genealogy Master Index
|
Current Biography, Biography Index, Contemporary Authors (in Reference); Internet sites |
Try “biography” in the subject field |
| In-depth information |
Books |
All over the Library, including the Reference Section! |
|
| Type of Periodical |
Characteristic |
Location in the Library: Print |
How to Find Online |
| Periodicals (magazines, journals, scholarly journals) |
Current Information, detailed information on topics, highly developed arguments |
Current—First Floor
Back—Bound, on the floors
Online--Databases
|
For full text, browse or search the Full Text Journals list, or the Library Catalog by journal title. |
The following 3 types are subdivisions of the category “Periodicals.” |
| Scholarly Periodicals, aka “Journals” |
Research work of subject experts, professionals. |
Paper and online |
Use databases |
| Trade Journals, aka Trade magazines |
Designed for professionals in a business, industry, or profession. |
Paper and online Good for developments in a trade: Facts, helpful hints, often information on laws or policy. |
Use general databases like ProQuest, or EBSCO databases like Academic Search Elite, Business Source Elite, and other subjects |
| Popular magazines/periodicals |
Current events, media reports, non-scholarly perspectives. |
Paper and online |
Same as for trade journals |
