Using Reference Sources

What is the Library Reference Area ? 1. It shelves a collection of non-circulating materials which will help you start your research.

2. It may also house the computers which provide access to the library’s online catalog and other electronic databases and resources.

library’s open hourslibrary’s open hours, the library Reference Staff is available to answer your questions and to assist you in using paper and electronic sources. 3. The Reference or Information Desk is also in this area. During most of the

Reference Help is also available via e:mail at or you may call the Reference Desk at these Grand Rapids (616) Allendale (616) Holland (local call ) or (616) Off-Site Campus Students: Insert Picture of Steelcase Ref here; Number to the right

What kinds of materials will I use in the reference collection? Some will provide "quick answers" to single facts such as: Who? What? Where? and/or How many? REF DESK AY 67.N5 W7

Some may give you introductory or background information on your topic, and many will provide definitions of terminology used in different disciplines. REF HQ 1127.S REF Q 123.M

Many will provide bibliographies, which are lists of other sources to explore on your topic. Those lists may appear at the end of a subject entry within a reference book OR may even be an entire book, such as this one, which provides titles of books written about the holocaust for children and young adults. REF Z 6374.H6 S

Some may provide differing opinions on various controversial issues, such as the Encyclopedia of Bioethics and also the Opposing Viewpoints Series. Covering both sides of the debate on many different topics, this series is written by advocates of the differing views and also includes supporting bibliographies. Opposing Viewpoints Series REF BL 2525.R Below are just a few of the many titles available. REF HV 8694.D REF BP I REF RA H REF Z 658.U5 C4 2002

Some will provide biographical information on people who have lived in the past or who are currently alive, and may be general or limited to certain professions, such as authors, scientists, artists, or musicians. REF CT 103.M REF CT 100.C8

 will be written by experts in the field;  may cover issues, people, chronologies, statistical data, etc.;  can provide outlines, historical perspectives, future possibilities;  define terms and discuss professional jargon, ( for example, a term like interface will have one definition in the computer world and another in business and psychology;  suggest related terms and topics, (for example, other terms for euthanasia might be assisted suicide, right to die, death with dignity, Merian’s Friends, Dr. Kevorkian);  include names and/or lists of experts, associations, publications, in the field; Subject encyclopedias will have articles in a given field or discipline which:

The Subject Encyclopedia will provide longer and more technical entries than a general encyclopedia such as The World Book, where an article on “Child Abuse “is one column long. These two subject encyclopedias have much more: The Family in America: an Encyclopedia (2 volumes) 6 ½ pages with illustrations, a bibliography, and also cross references to related terms STEEL REF HV C MAIN REF HQ 36.H The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse 344 pages with charts, tables, photos, 7 Appendices, a 10 page bibliography, & an index for the entire encyclopedia

Reference Books are arranged by subject or discipline in the Library by the call number for that subject.. Reference books on a given topic may be found in three ways. 1. Browse the shelves in the call number area for the discipline in which a topic would be covered. For example: If the topic is “Child Abuse,” these call numbers would probably have some type of information: BF & RC Psychology and Psychiatry (at Allendale) HQ Family Issues (at Allendale) HV Criminal Justice (at Steelcase) K Legal Issues (at Steelcase) L Education; (at Allendale)

2. Reference books on a given topic may also be found by “limiting” a VOYAGER search to the Reference Collection. Click on the red Set Limits button, scroll down to the Location: window to Reference (All), and “Click to Set Limits”.

Then, proceed with a “Guided Search” for the topic or subject area, selecting the title most likely to help your research. Below is a sample of a search for only Reference Books on “medical ethics,” resulting in a variety of titles.

Here are the resulting titles:

3. The last way to find Reference Sources in a discipline is to browse the Selected Reference Sources list of frequently used reference materials created by the Librarians who work with them. Use the link just below: click here: Selected Reference SourcesSelected Reference Sources You may then click on a subject area on the list or simply scroll further down the screen to the titles list under each discipline. For example: EDUCATION (L-LT) Encyclopedia of Education LB 15.E47 Encyclopedia of Educational Research LB 15.E48 The International Encyclopedia of Education LB 15.I569 Encyclopedia of Special Education LC 4007.E53 I

Practice your new skills! Which Subject Reference Books listed below would possibly have information on the reading disorder, “Dyslexia?” [Check the Library of Congress call number assigned to the subject.] BF: Psychology 1. Encyclopedia of Psychology BF 31.E [Library of Congress Call Number is BF: Psychology] HQ: Social Sciences 2. The Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood and Adolescence HQ 772.G [HQ: Social Sciences] LC: Education 3 Encyclopedia of Special Education LC 4007.E [LC: Education] P: Philology (Language Studies) and Linguistics 4 International Encyclopedia of Linguistics P 29.I [P: Philology (Language Studies) and Linguistics] R: Medicine 5 Children’s Health RJ 101.C [R: Medicine] 6 ALL of the above reference books in the different disciplines.

ANSWER SHEET The correct answer is: 6) ALL of the above. Each discipline has information on children’s development and learning issues. “Dyslexia” may be found in these volumes and pages: 2.Encyclopedia of Psychology (4 entries; most in Vol. 3: Gale Encyclopedia of Childhood & Adolescence (pp ) 3.Encyclopedia of Special Education (Vol. 1: ) 4.International Encyclopedia of Linguistics (Vol. 1: ) 5.Children’s Health (Vol 1: ) Each reference book defines and discusses dyslexia, as well as providing cross references to other terms and entries, and includes a bibliography of sources for further information.