Health/Fitness Research Guide: Reference Resources

Start researching a topic by reading an article in a general or specialized encyclopedia, which is an example of a reference source.

Reference sources, which include dictionaries, handbooks, atlases, maps, and other information-rich publications, are useful for:

• Choosing a topic
• Understanding terminology
• Locating background information
• Identifying good search terms
• Identifying additional resources

Print reference books are located on the main floor of the library and are organized by subject according to the Library of Congress system. They are searchable in the library catalog. The tutorial and research guide linked below will help you learn more about how to use reference resources and find them in the library.