This guide was developed in Fall 2023 by Cassidy Santos with contributions from librarians Amy Barlow and Patricia Brennan. Last updated: 9/29/23. Direct recommendations and questions to Amy Barlow (abarlow@ric.edu).
Beginning a research project can be a difficult task. If you need to learn background information about your subject in order to develop a better research question, an encyclopedia is a great place to start! The online resources and texts below are chosen specifically for this course, and are excellent resources to develop your knowledge of factual information about your selected subject.
Do note, however, that Encyclopedias and Dictionaries in Print available for in-library use only; if you need a digital resource, consult the online reference sources listed at the top of the page.
Reference texts in print are available for in library use only for several reasons. However, we understand you can't always make it in to the library in person. Here's a few selected online reference sources you can use anywhere.