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. - Oxford Reference
More than 300 dictionaries and encyclopedias covering multiple subjects. Choose between "Quick Reference" and in-depth "Reference Library" titles.
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 - 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." - 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. - 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. - 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. - Oxford Art Online
Authoritative articles on all aspects of the visual arts: painting, sculpture, graphic arts, architecture, decorative arts, and photography. - 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. - 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. - 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. - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: American History
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: American History is a dynamic, online resource offering comprehensive, scholarly essays on American history. Written by expert historians and reviewed by a distinguished editorial board, it integrates the latest research, multimedia, and primary sources. Continuously updated, it aims to be the most innovative and accessible digital encyclopedia for understanding America’s past. - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Literature
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Literature, founded in 2015, has grown to over 800 articles by global experts. It covers diverse literary topics worldwide, from book culture to contemporary fiction and critical theory. The ORE aims to be a comprehensive, evolving resource, offering rigorous yet accessible content in a digital format with multimedia features. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Communication
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Communication, launched in 2015, is an online platform offering expert-written essays on diverse Communication research topics. With over 500 entries, it serves as a dynamic, constantly updated resource for scholars, educators, and students, covering various subfields and reflecting the evolving nature of communication studies. - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Education
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Education is a comprehensive, authoritative resource on education research. It covers formal and informal education, cultural impacts, and global perspectives. The digital format allows for continuous updates, multimedia content, and cross-linking. Expert-written articles are peer-reviewed and overseen by an international editorial board. It aims to inform students, policymakers, professionals, and scholars about educational research and its implications for the future - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Politics
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Politics is a comprehensive, peer-reviewed digital resource for political studies. It offers diverse perspectives, interdisciplinary insights, and cutting-edge research on traditional and emerging topics. The encyclopedia emphasizes methodological pluralism, global inclusivity, and non-Western viewpoints, while continuously updating content to address contemporary political challenges. - 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. - 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. - 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.
Subject Encyclopedias: Sciences
- Comprehensive Physiology
Authoritative and comprehensive collection of physiology information covering reference materials and key developments in the field. - 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. - 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. - Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Global Public Health
The Oxford Research Encyclopedia: Global Public Health is a comprehensive, evolving resource covering the diverse field of public health. It spans ancient to modern concerns, addressing topics from sanitation to global epidemics. The encyclopedia features expert-written, in-depth articles on foundational and cutting-edge subjects, aiming to inform researchers, students, and professionals across various disciplines within public health. - 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. - Wiley StatsRef: Statistics Reference OnlineWiley 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.
