Question: What value lies in a reference work? Why should you bother to consult these books?
Answer: Reference books help create a framework around your topic. They can help guide you in asking the right questions. Reference books can help researchers become more efficient database searchers - in formulating which keywords (or search terms) to use. Scholarly reference books also contain bibliographies (!!) - a listing of some of the most respected secondary and most useful primary sources on a topic. In a nutshell.... reference books are a great way to begin your research.
Here are some awesome books to get you started on your research topic. Please note: E-Books are restricted to current TRU students, staff and faculty.
Here are some awesome books to get you started on your research topic. Please note: E-Books are restricted to current TRU students, staff and faculty.
History and Geography:
Article databases contain information about articles, and often include the full-text of the articles as well.
While searching our discovery service will find articles for you, databases allow you do more controlled and precise searching.
Contains: about 2,000 journals; approximately 6,000 citations of book and media reviews; citations to abstracts of dissertations. Updates: unknown.
Canadian Business & Current Affairs™ Database combines full text and indexed content from a broad range of Canadian sources. Subject coverage: Canadian current events, business, science and technology, education, health, humanities and the arts, politics.
Research reports and webinars on Economic Trends (Canadian, Provincial, Metropolitan and International); Industry Sector Economics; Consumer and Business Confidence; Travel and Tourism; Organizational Performance and Public Policly. Updated regularly.
JSTOR represents over 600 journals in the arts, humanities and social sciences. NOTE: Does not provide access to current issues of periodicals. JSTOR provides archival access to journals and access to journals varies from publisher to publisher. In most cases two to five years plus the current calendar year are excluded.
Covering the fields of anthropology, archaeology, and interdisciplinary studies. Monthly updates.
Provides access to current and retrospective citations and cited references found in nearly 1,130 of the world's leading arts & humanities journals. Arts & Humanities Citation Index covers individually selected, relevant items from approximately 7,000 of the world's leading science and social sciences journals. Weekly updates.
Provides access to scholarly research in nearly 4,000 journals and series. Also covers relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies, and other formats. Updates: unknown
Current and retrospective bibliographic information, author abstracts, and cited references found in over 1,700 of the world's leading scholarly social sciences journals covering more than 50 disciplines. They also cover individually selected, relevant items from approximately 3,300 of the world's leading science and technology journals.
Provides current and retrospective bibliographic information, author abstracts, and cited references found in over 1,700 of the world's leading scholarly sciences journals covering more than 50 disciplines. Also covers individually selected, relevant items from approximately 3,300 of the world's leading science and technology journals. Updated weekly.
Web Resources
Some really great resources to consult are: