Background Reading
Start with these resources if you're trying to find or narrow down a topic.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
In-depth reports of current and controversial issues of the day.
- Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new windowProvides topics each with an overview, point, counterpoint, and Critical Thinking Guide. Includes essays, leading political magazine articles, newspaper articles, and radio & television news transcripts.
Search Online Reference Collections
Credo, Gale, and Oxford offer reference collections that let you cross-search many dictionaries and encyclopedias at once!
- CREDO Reference This link opens in a new window
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. from a variety of sources.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Online reference works from a variety of publishers.
- Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Reference books by Oxford University Press, including the Oxford Digital Reference Shelf.
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
- Britannica Online This link opens in a new window
Vast knowledge base contains more than 65,000 articles and includes the latest editions of the Book of the Year and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Many articles also include links to related internet sites.
