Reference Sources

Reference sources contain small bits of information on many different topics.  This makes them an excellent tool in the beginning stages of the research process.  Just think of an encyclopedia,in which each entry might range from a few paragraphs to a few pages.  Reference sources can help narrow a topic, provide an overview of an issue, and most importantly, lead to other sources. Reference materials can be either books or online sources.

Reference Books can be found on the main floor of the Library and include general encyclopedias, biographical sources, dictionaries, and specialized encyclopedias for many subjects.

Online Reference Sources can also be quite useful.  You can see a good selection of these items by visiting Penn State's Online Reference Resources.