LibGuides: Linguistics: Getting Started

Reference Sources

Use Reference Sources, such as encyclopedias, to get a general overview of your topic. They are not intended to be read cover-to-cover, but rather provide you with more concise information as you begin to explore a topic. Reference sources generally provide several things:

Background information about a topic.
Brief, factual overviews of topics.
Information about important dates, events, and people associated with a topic.
Terminology and definitions of terms related to a topic.
Articles written by authors with expertise in the subject matter.
Bibliographies of sources for further reading.

Reference books are located on the Main Floor of the Library.

Library Floorplan

e-Reference

Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Full-text entries from encyclopedias and reference works for multidisciplinary and subject-specific research in areas such as social sciences, education, business, psychology, art, history, etc.
Sage Knowledge This link opens in a new window
Searchable collection of encyclopedias, covering the social sciences and humanities. Formerly known as Sage Reference Online.

E.g., Dictionary of American History
E.g., American Decades
E.g., Countries and Their Cultures
E.g., Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations
E.g., West's Encyclopedia of American Law
E.g., Encyclopedia of Education
E.g., Encyclopedia of Communication and Information
E.g., International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family
E.g., Encyclopedia of Public Relations
E.g., Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society
E.g., Encyclopedia of Human Relationships
E.g., Encyclopedia of the Social and Cultural Foundations of Education
E.g., Encyclopedia of Social Problems
E.g., Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods

Browse for Print Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

To browse for encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc. about the following subjects, click on the link to automatically search the STL Catalog for reference sources about that subject:

Reference sources about Linguistics
- E.g., International encyclopedia of linguistics
- E.g., Key concepts in language and linguistics
Reference Sources about Psycholinguistics/Sociolinguistics
- E.g., A glossary of language and mind
- E.g., A glossary of sociolinguistics
Reference Sources about Syntax and Semantics
- E.g., International Encyclopedia of Linguistics
- E.g., Modern English Syntax
References Sources about Phonology, Etymology, and Morphology
- E.g., A dictionary of phonetics and phonology
- E.g., Word Histories and Mysteries: From abracadabra to Zeus
- E.g., A glossary of morphology
Reference sources about Language and Languages
- E.g., Facts about the world's languages
- E.g., Black talk: words and phrases from the hood to the amen corner
- E.g., Language and communication: a cross-cultural encyclopedia

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