Start With Reference

In This Guide

In this Guide, you'll find:

Resource suggestions for your section topic:
- Getting started with reference sources
- Gathering more information through books, articles, websites, etc.
Tips on searching for sources and evaluating the sources you find
Contact information for your librarian

Preus Library has so much more than what's in this Guide! When you have questions about the library or about finding a resource, don't hesitate to get in touch.

Return to the Paideia 112 Research Unit Guide

The Perfect Source? Not Likely

Research isn't about finding that one perfect source that makes all the connections for you.

It's about pulling together information that helps you formulate your ideas and make the argument yourself. This video (2 minutes) explains why finding one perfect source isn't feasible, and describes some ways you can be strategic about your searching.

Video posted on YouTube by North Carolina State University Libraries under a Creative Commons 3.0 BY-NC-SA US license.

Reference materials are the place to begin your research. Reading in specialized encyclopedias will anchor your research in an historical context and will give you the key terms and concepts to conduct successful database searches.

Keywords for Disability Studies by Rachel Adams (Editor)
Call Number: Ref HV1568 .K49 2015 & e-book

Keywords for Disability Studies aims to broaden and define the conceptual framework of disability studies for readers and practitioners in the field and beyond. The volume engages some of the most pressing debates of our time, such as prenatal testing, euthanasia, accessibility in public transportation and the workplace, post-traumatic stress, and questions about the beginning and end of life.
Children with Disabilities in America by Philip L. Safford; Elizabeth J. Safford
Call Number: Ref HV888.5 .D57 2006

This work examines current knowledge about children's experience of physical, cognitive, and emotional/behavioral impairments from the Colonial period to the present, while revealing the social constructions of both disability and childhood throughout American history
Disability Through the Life Course by Tamar Heller
Sage Reference Series on Disability
"Examines topics central to the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families, involving the care and/or study of those with disabilities, as well as for the disabled themselves."
Arts and Humanities by Brenda Jo Brueggemann
Sage Reference Series on Disability
"Explores the arts and humanities, examining topics central to the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families."
Ethics, Law, and Policy by Jerome E. Bickenbach
Sage Reference Series on Disability
"Explores ethical, legal, and policy issues of people with disabilities and examines topics central to the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families."

General Reference Sources

Oxford Reference Online
This online source provides access to subject and language reference works from Oxford University Press. In addition to text, access is provided to maps and illustrations, timelines, web sites, and bibliographies.
Credo Reference
An online collection of over 600 full-text reference works, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, and more.
Cambridge Histories Online
Provides full text online access to the complete 250-plus volumes of Cambridge Histories reference series. Provides political, economic and social history, philosophy and literature of selected countries and subjects. Use the lower "Search Cambridge Histories" search box to find Luther-held content.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
A collection of over 3,000 reference works, covering all disciplines.

Search Tips

As you start exploring the library and its resources, here are some tips to help you gather more sources:

Use filters in the catalog and in databases. Typically along the left side of your search results screen, you'll be able to filter your search results by topic, by type of source, by date, and more.
Heading to the stacks? Browse the shelves near the book you're headed for--you'll probably find more books on the same topic.
Use subject terms--these are standardized phrases that librarians assign to sources that are all on the same topic. You can generally find them in the description of a resource. If you click on one, you'll see more articles or books about the same thing.
What documents or research are your sources citing? See if you can track those down too.