Gleeson Library: Encyclopedias and Other Reference Sources: Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias

Like Wikipedia (the free online encyclopedia), the Library's academic encyclopedias offer background information on thousands of topics to get you started with your research. Edited and authored by academics and scholars, the Library's encyclopedias provide information that is appropriate to cite in your research paper.

Multi-Subject Encyclopedia Collections

Gale eBooks
A great place to begin your research, Gale eBooks offers thousands of authoritative articles published in academic encyclopedias, and written by subject experts. Gale eBooks provides information you can not only trust, but cite in a paper as well. Formerly called GVRL: Gale Virtual Reference Library.
SAGE Knowledge
More than 300 encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
On Campus Link
Oxford Reference
More than 300 dictionaries and encyclopedias covering multiple subjects. Choose between "Quick Reference" and in-depth "Reference Library" titles.
On-Campus Link

Subject Encyclopedias: Arts and Humanities

Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism
Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism presents the latest research on all the main aspects of the Hindu traditions. Its essays are original work written by the world’s foremost scholars on Hinduism. The encyclopedia aims at a balanced and even-handed view of Hinduism, recognizing the divergent perspectives and methods in the academic study of a religion that is both an ancient historical tradition and a flourishing tradition today
The encyclopedia embraces the greatest possible diversity, plurality, and heterogeneity, thus emphasizing that Hinduism encompasses a variety of regional traditions as well as a global world religion. Presenting the same heralded original essays and research from thematic print edition, Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism is now available in a fully searchable, dynamic digital format.

On Campus Link
Dictionary of Literary Biography
"The most important thing about a writer is his writing. Accordingly, the entries in DLB are career biographies, tracing the development of the author's canon and the evolution of his reputation."
"The purpose of DLB is ... to place the figures in the larger perspective of literary history and to offer appraisals of their accomplishments by qualified scholars."

The award-winning Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online provides comprehensive access to the series dedicated to making literature and its creators better understood and more accessible to students and interested readers while simultaneously satisfying the standards of librarians, teachers, and scholars. The series provides reliable information on authors and their works in an easy to understand, engaging format, while placing writers in the larger perspective of literary history.
Encyclopedia of the Bible and Its Reception
EBR offers the current state of knowledge on the origins and development of the Bible in Judaism and Christianity. EBR also documents the history of the Bible's reception in the Christian churches and the Jewish Diaspora; in Islam, in other religious traditions, as well as in literature, art, music, and film.
On Campus Link
International Encyclopedia of Dance
With nearly 2,000 articles written by scholars from fifty countries, the Encyclopedia covers the full spectrum of dance—theatrical, ritual, dance-drama, folk, traditional, ethnic, and social dance. Cultural and national overviews are accompanied by entries on dance forms, music and costumes, performances, and biographies of dancers and choreographers.
On campus link
Music Online: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music
Music Online: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music is the first comprehensive online resource devoted to music research of all the world's peoples. More than 9,000 pages of material, combined with entries by more than 700 expert contributors from all over the world, make this the most complete body of work focused on world music.
Each volume contains an overview of the region, a survey of its musical heritage, traditions and themes; and a description of specific musical genres, practices, and performances. Articles include detailed photographs that show musicians, musical instrument, and the cultural context of dances, rituals, and ceremonies. Other images include drawings, maps, and musical examples for further study.

The second release includes the entire set of 10 print volumes (over 9,200 pages) as well as complete indexing for genre, subject, instrument, place, person, ensemble, and cultural group, as well as links to the associated audio examples for each volume.

Since its first publication in 1997, The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music has been the pre-eminent reference work for research in ethnomusicology. It has won numerous awards, including the Dartmouth Medal, the New York Public Library Outstanding Reference Book award, and Library Journal's award as one of the 50 Reference Sources for the Millennium. Now for the first time, the entire set of 10 print volumes is available as a single, integrated online database, with additional features from Alexander Street Press.

On-Campus Link
Oxford Art Online
Authoritative articles on all aspects of the visual arts: painting, sculpture, graphic arts, architecture, decorative arts, and photography.
More than 45,000 articles from the printed 34-volume Dictionary of Art, and updated quarterly with new and revised articles, as well as thousands of images, and the content of The Oxford Comanion to Western Art, The Consice Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, and The Encyclopedia of Aesthetics.

On-Campus Link
Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.)
Written by distinguished scholars from around the world, OCD covers all aspects of the classical world from literature and history to religion, science, and archaeology.
On Campus Link
Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance
This encyclopedia provides authoritative and up-to-date information about theatre and performance from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London, Paris, New York, and around the globe. In addition to performances in playhouses, it covers dance, opera, radio, film, television, and popular performance, including carnivals, circus, and public executions. Entries range from short definitions of terms to lengthy considerations of genres and movements.
On Campus Link
Oxford History of Western Music
The Oxford History of Western Music online offers an unmatched account of the evolution of Western classical music by one of the most prominent and provocative musicologists of our time, Richard Taruskin.
The full text, which was printed in five thick volumes in print, is now available for the first time in an interactive digital format. The online version includes all 1.25 million words, 500 images, and 1,800 musical examples from the updated paperback edition with sophisticated search and browse functionality designed to maximize the dynamic possibilities of online reading and research.

The online version offers convenient access for anyone interested in Taruskin’s essential history of Western music, from first-time readers to long-time fans of the work, from students assigned chapters in a course to experienced scholars seeking a handy point of entry for their research. Readers can easily search across the entire work to pinpoint quotations or follow up references. They can jump across chapters through the browsable Table of Contents or through an editorially designed index.

On-Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: American History
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Literature
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
Qurʾānic Studies Online
Qurʾānic Studies Online consists of the Encyclopedia of the Qurʾān, the Dictionary of Qurʾanic Usage, and the Qurʾān Concordance, all of which can be search together.
On Campus Link
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Open access encyclopedia maintained by scholarly experts in philosophy. Gleeson Library is a Full Contributor supporting the encyclopedia.

Subject Encyclopedias: Social Sciences

Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Online
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology is the reference for students, researchers, librarians, and academics in the field. This ground-breaking project brings together specially commissioned entries written and edited by an international team of the world's best scholars and teachers. With over 1800 entries / 3.5 million words it will define the discipline of sociology for years to come.
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology provides:

Clear, concise, expert definitions and explanations of the key concepts written by leading scholars in the field
An essential reference for expert and newcomer alike, with entries ranging from short definitions of key terms to extended explorations of major topics
Materials that have historically defined the discipline, but also more recent developments, significantly updating the store of sociological knowledge
Introductions to sociological theories and research that have developed outside of the United States and Western Europe
Sophisticated cross-referencing and search facilities
A timeline, lexicon by subject area, and extensive bibliographies
Regular updates of new and revised entries and features

On Campus Link
Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Comprising over 500 entries on the essential topics and informed by the latest theory and research, this innovative reference resource offers a state-of-the-art survey of the fields of criminology and criminal justice. It combines this breadth of coverage with the authority and international perspective of an experienced editorial team, creating a definitive reference resource for students, scholars, and professionals.
On-Campus Link
International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication
Addresses issues, theories, and concepts that have substantively contributed to the development of intercultural communication theory and research. Five themes of intercultural communication: cross-cultural communication, cultural communication, intergroup communication, intercultural training, and critical intercultural communication, address issues of ethnicity and race in intercultural communication as an integral part of each thematic area. This encyclopedia features the perspective of communication scholars as well as cross-cultural psychology, cultural anthropology, and social psychology.
Oxford African American Studies Center
The Oxford African American Studies Center combines the authority of carefully edited reference works with sophisticated technology to create the most comprehensive collection of scholarship available online to focus on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture.
The Oxford African American Studies Center provides students, scholars and librarians with more than 10,000 articles by top scholars in the field.

The core content includes:

Africana
Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895
Encyclopedia of African American History, 1896 to the Present
Black Women in America, Second Edition
African American National Biography
Dictionary of African Biography
The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Thought

In addition to the full-text of these works, the Center draws on other key resources from Oxford's reference program, including the Concise Oxford Companion to African American Literature, the Oxford Companion to Black British History, and selected articles from other major reference titles. Over 2,500 images, more than 450 primary sources with specially written commentaries, and nearly 200 maps have been collected to enhance this reference content. More than 150 charts and tables offer information on everything from demographics to government and politics to business and labor to education and the arts.

A key feature of the Oxford African American Studies Center site is the ongoing editorial program. The site continues to grow with new and updated content added on a regular basis, including the latest biographies from the African American National Biography project and additional primary documents with commentary.

The Oxford African American Studies Center has been created with the latest in online technology to give users a robust and unique research experience. Precise search and browse capabilities allow users to refine their results by specific eras and subject categories. Users can choose to view biographies, subject entries, primary sources, images, maps, or charts and tables when searching or browsing. The site's thematic timelines and Learning Center resources also provide users with powerful tools for navigating the content. Context-sensitive Help pages are available throughout the site to guide users through the features and functionality.

Editor in Chief

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University
Read Dr. Gates's Letter from the Editor

On-Campus Link
Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in Contemporary Politics, Law, and Social Movements
Provides a comprehensive source of information on the diverse historical and contemporary experiences of Latinos and Latinas in the United States.
Incorporating key material from the acclaimed Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States (OUP, 2005), this ground-breaking publication addresses the significant ways in which the Latino and Latina populations have shaped the political, legal, and social institutions of the United States, with new and updated scholarship on political movements and organizations, important legal cases, minority-rights laws, and immigration legislation.

On Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Communication
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Education
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Politics
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching
The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching explores the theoretical and practical aspects of English language instruction by providing an essential, go-to reference resource for educators, professionals, researchers, and students world-wide. Over 750 entries written by leading practitioners and scholars from around the globe reflect the collaborative efforts of a truly international team of editors and advisory board members.
On campus link
Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization
Covers the essential topics in the study of globalization, including agency-structure, Americanization, anti-globalization, Bretton Woods, coca-colonization, empire, Euro crisis, ethnic cleansing, exploitation, feminization of poverty, genocide, global warming, nation-state, neo-liberalism, oil, post-globalization, Qaedaism, rape, sex work, sport, terror, transnational corporations, Twitter Revolution, water crisis, Web 2.0, Wikileaks, World Social Forum and Zapatistas.
On Campus Link
Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online
Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online is a comprehensive online reference resource which covers the fundamentals and applications of statistics in all fields where it is widely used. It is aimed at advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers of statistics, and for experienced researchers entering a new part of the field for the first time.
Comprises over 6,000 articles from across the breadth of Wiley's extensive reference resources in statistics—equivalent to over 30 volumes in print. Articles in Wiley StatsRef have been carefully selected from the following eight products in Wiley’s existing online reference work portfolio, with thousands of new cross-references and links to related articles added to hugely enhance discoverability and ease of navigation:

Encyclopedia of Actuarial Science
Encyclopedia of Biostatistics
Encyclopedia of Clinical Trials
Encyclopedia of Environmetrics
Encyclopedia of Quantitative Risk Analysis and Assessment
Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences
Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science
Encyclopedia of Statistics in Quality and Reliability

On-Campus Link

Subject Encyclopedias: Sciences

Comprehensive Physiology
Authoritative and comprehensive collection of physiology information covering reference materials and key developments in the field.
On Campus Link
eLS: Citable Reviews in Life Sciences
eLS features over 5,000 specially commissioned, peer-reviewed and citable articles in the life sciences. eLS articles are written by leaders in the field to provide comprehensive and authoritative coverage of each subject area.
On Campus Link
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology
Presents a wide scope of articles on chemical substances—including their properties, manufacturing, and uses. It also focuses on industrial processes and unit operations in chemical engineering, as well as covering fundamentals and scientific subjects related to the field. Additionally, environmental and health issues concerning chemical technology are also addressed.
On Campus Link
Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Global Public Health
An encyclopedia of peer-reviewed and regularly updated articles covering the discipline.
On-Campus Link
Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Comprehensive reference work that defines the entire discipline, bringing together the core knowledge from every one of the many specialties encompassed by electrical and electronics engineering. Includeing over 1,700 articles, it is an ideal starting point for research projects, whether addressing basic questions in power systems and communications, or learning advanced applications in neural networks and robotics.
On Campus Link
Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online
Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference Online is a comprehensive online reference resource which covers the fundamentals and applications of statistics in all fields where it is widely used. It is aimed at advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers of statistics, and for experienced researchers entering a new part of the field for the first time.
Comprises over 6,000 articles from across the breadth of Wiley's extensive reference resources in statistics—equivalent to over 30 volumes in print. Articles in Wiley StatsRef have been carefully selected from the following eight products in Wiley’s existing online reference work portfolio, with thousands of new cross-references and links to related articles added to hugely enhance discoverability and ease of navigation:

Encyclopedia of Actuarial Science
Encyclopedia of Biostatistics
Encyclopedia of Clinical Trials
Encyclopedia of Environmetrics
Encyclopedia of Quantitative Risk Analysis and Assessment
Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences
Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science
Encyclopedia of Statistics in Quality and Reliability

On-Campus Link

Encyclopedias and Other Reference Sources

Encyclopedias

Multi-Subject Encyclopedia Collections

Subject Encyclopedias: Arts and Humanities

Subject Encyclopedias: Social Sciences

Subject Encyclopedias: Sciences

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