LibGuides: Pro/Con, Position Papers or Debates: Finding Reference Books

Reference Books

Why use Reference Books?

Locating background information in general and subject specific encyclopedias and dictionaries and other reference resources will help you put information in context.

Consulting reference materials will help you:

Get an overview of the subject.
Note key concepts/developments.
Identify significant authors.
See a chronology/timeline.
Discern connections/interrelationships with other developments.
Develop a list of search terms.
Use the bibliographies to locate other information on your topic.

Below are some suggested resources to get you started. Search the Library Catalog to find more titles of interest or Ask a Librarian to recommend resources for your specific topic:

Political Campaigns, Candidates and Debates by Salem Press Editors; Michael Shally-Jensen (Editor)
Call Number: REF JK2281 .P653 2018 (2 v.) Available online
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society by Robert W. Kolb (Editor)
Call Number: REF HF5387 .E53 2018 (7 volumes)

ProCon.org from Britannica
Free Website from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., whose mission is “To promote civility, critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.”

Salem Press Health This link opens in a new window
Salem Press Health provides access to electronic books, including sourcebooks on various medical and health topics.
Salem Press History This link opens in a new window
Includes encyclopedias on immigration, economic history, and American history by decade, as well as U.S. and world primary source documents. Also included two series published by H. W. Wilson called The Reference Shelf: U. S. National Debate Topic & Opinions Throughout History . To view these titles, access the database then scroll down the History titles to them or keyword search for Debate + your topic to find the relevant entries.
Salem Press Science This link opens in a new window
Salem Press Science provides access to electronic books, including encyclopedias on scientific and environmental issues.
Gale EBooks This link opens in a new window
Gale EBooks provides digital reference books on topics such as business, the environment, history, literature, geography, science, sociology, and technology. Search the database, or browse by collection or title.
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences Online This link opens in a new window
The International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, published by Elsevier, "provides authoritative, foundational, interdisciplinary knowledge across the wide range of behavioral and social sciences fields and discusses history, current trends and future directions."
World News Digest This link opens in a new window
While World News Digest is primarily a domestic and international news database. WND includes a World News Almanac. To access, click on the menu in the upper left corner then under Resources click on Facts & Statistics.