Penn State University Libraries - AAA S 100: Evolving Status of Blacks in the Twentieth Century

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and other Reference Sources

Reference sources like encyclopedias and specialized dictionaries can provide background information and a general overview of your topic.

Use The CAT [Penn State Libraries' online catalog] to find not only reference materials, but also general books, dissertations, videos, and other recorded formats on your topic. The CAT will provide links to online resources when available.

Using the Advanced Search feature in The CAT allows you to limit your search to format, publication year, library, etc.

Online encyclopedias [available via the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z list) as well as via the CAT] helpful for your research:

• Gale Virtual Reference Library

• Oxford African American Studies Center

• American National Biography

• Biography and Genealogy Master Index

Use LionSearch to locate Encyclopedias and more

Using the LionSearch Advanced Search menu:

• use your keywords in the appropriate search boxes
• limit your search to a particular publication, items with full text only, etc.

Use the Databases by Title (A-Z List) link to find Libraries-subscribed databases that cover the subject area or discipline of your topic.

Some databases you may find helpful:

• America: History and Life

• Historical Abstracts

• JSTOR

• Project MUSE

• Race Relations Abstracts

• Ethnic NewsWatch (newspaper articles)

• International Index to Black Periodicals

• Sociological Abstracts

Newspapers and other news sources can provide context for information you are gathering. Use the Libraries' News and Newspaper Sources Research Guide for help finding current and historical news sources.

Use The CAT to find government documents in the Penn State Libraries. The Advanced Search feature in The CAT will allow you to limit by location: scroll down to Paterno - 2nd Floor - U.S. Documents to limit your search to United States government documents.

From the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List):

• ProQuest Congressional — contents include:

  • Congressional Research Service Reports
  • Committee hearings
  • Committee reports

• CQ (Congressional Quarterly) Electronic Library — contents include:

  • CQ Weekly
  • CQ Almanac
  • CQ Researcher

Other online sources for government documents include:

• FDSys [Federal Digital System]
  developed and maintained by the U.S. Government Printing Office

• USA.gov
  "USA.gov is an interagency initiative administered by the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies."

• Statistical Insight [ProQuest] [available via the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List)]

• African American Statistics Sources [Penn State University Libraries' Research Guide]

The following databases are good starting points for researching law and legal information. They are available via the Libraries' Databases by Title [A-Z List]:

• Gale Virtual Reference Library [search by subject law]

• Index to Legal Periodicals

• African American Studies

• The Blockson Collection

• African American History

• Malcolm X: Selected Resources

• African Studies

• Ethnic and Race Relations Resources

Citation and Writing Guides, a Penn State Libraries' Research Guide, provides links to online citation guides as well as citation management tools that will help you correctly format your bibliographic references.

The Civil Rights Movement [About.com]

Tutorials [Penn State University Libraries]

• The CAT Tutorial

• Minute Modules

  • What is a journal?
  • How to read a newspaper

How Do I ...? [Penn State University Libraries Information and Services]