Reference materials are an excellent starting point for acquiring a broad overview of your topic. Those marked with a call number (e.g. REF 133 MAN) are located in the library. Those with links are available online. Depending on your topic, you may want to consult the following tools:
ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Man, Myth and Magic:
the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Mythology, Religion and the Unknown
REF 133 MAN
Encyclopedia of Sociology
REF 301.03 ENC 4 vols.
Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures & Daily Life
REF 305.8 1998 WOR vols. 1-4
McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology
REF 503 MCG 2007 volumes 1-20
Van Nostrand Reinhold Encyclopedia of Chemistry
540.3 VAN
The Reader's Encyclopedia - Guide to World Literature.
REF 803 REA
The Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology is a comprehensive and authoritative study covering the field of applied psychology. Each article (from Academic Failure, Prevention of to Youth, Employment of) provides a focused description of the given topic. The articles are self-contained and can be read in isolation, but there is a general scheme linking related topics by means of cross-referencing.
Concise articles covering more than 90 disciplines of science and technology. Includes coverage of the hottest areas of science and technology, including biomedical science, chemistry, cosmology, information science, environmental science, nanotechnology, and theoretical physics.
McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia
A comprehensive history of conspiracies and conspiracy theories in the United States.
DICTIONARIES
Mythology
Bloomsbury Dictionary of Myth
This work retells the world's major myths and legends, and gives a clear reference guide to who was who, where was where and what was what. In addition to A-Z entries of myths, motifs, locations and characters, there are generic essays and entries about the various traditions, organized by location. The essays discuss the kinds of myth each area has produced, and their relationship to local geography, culture and religions. The guide explores the major myth traditions of every continent, from the Americas and Middle East to Europe and Africa. The origins and historical significance of each legend are examined and recurring motifs are traced through the ages and around the world.
Social Sciences
The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology defines often amorphous and fuzzy sociological concepts in a lively and sensible way, and provides an introduction to what it means to think sociologically. For a deeper understanding of social life, and of the only discipline dedicated to making sense of it in all its diversity, this dictionary is a perfect guide.
Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology features entries, from concise definitions to discursive essays, written by leading international academics, the Dictionary offers a truly global perspective, examining both American and European traditions and approaches. Entries cover schools, theories, theorists and debates, with substantial articles on all key topics in the field.
Science
Cambridge Dictionary of Science and Technology
503 CAM
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
503 MCG
Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary defines the working vocabulary of the sciences in language that general readers can read and enjoy. Clearly written and richly illustrated, the dictionary covers all the major fields of science, from the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to the applied realms of medicine, ecology, and computer science. Many entries are accompanied by instructive photographs and drawings.
Literary
Allusions-Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical:
A Thematic Dictionary
REF 803 ALL
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
REF 803 BAL
A Dictionary of Literary Devices
REF 803 DUP 1991
The Bloomsbury Dictionary of English Literature presents a multiplicity of authors, texts and themes gathered together into one authoritative source. The key attractions are entries on writers, entries on individual works, Biblical and mythological characters and events, literary and critical terms and movements, and entries describing historical, cultural and social events.
A Dictionary of Literary Symbols Entries clearly explain and illustrate the literary symbols that we all encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold), along with hundreds of cross-references and quotations. The dictionary concentrates on English literature, but its entries range widely from the Bible and classical authors to the twentieth century, taking in American and European literatures.
Oxford English Dictionary [20 volumes]
REF 423 OXF 1989
If off-campus, contact Public Services Librarian for username/password.
is a 2,432 page work covering 124 fields of science. It contains complete, up-to-date definitions for all areas of science and technology. The Dictionary is designed for use by practicing scientists and professionals in all scientific fields - consultants and technical personnel; high school, college, and graduate students; writers, researchers, or educators working with a scientific vocabulary; and general readers interested in science.
HANDBOOKS
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics:
a Ready-Reference Book of Chemical and Physical Data
540 CRC 1999 GENERAL COLLECTION
WebCat & Library of Congress Subject Headings
Vault Reports Guide to Mastering Chemistry
540.76 CHI 1998
Standard Handbook of Engineering Calculations
620.01513 STA
The Harper Handbook to Literature
REF 803 FRY
A Handbook to Literature
REF 803 HOL
Crowell's Handbook of Classical Literature
Guide to the Drama, Poetry, and Prose of Greece and Rome, with biographies of their authors.
REF 880.03 FED
The Oxford Companions to Literature include entries on authors, literary works, genres, allusions, terminology, characters, movements, prizes, etc.
The Oxford Companion to American Literature
REF 810.3 HAR
The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature
REF 810.3 OXF
The Oxford Companion to English Literature
REF 820.3 OXF
The Oxford Companion to Twentieth Century Literature in English
REF 820.3 OXF 1996
MISCELLANEOUS GUIDES
Granger's Index to Poetry
Are you looking for a poem about mirrors, or eels, or astrology? Do you remember the first line of a poem, but not the title or author? Includes title and first line, author, and subject indexes. This book does NOT give you the full text of poems. Ask library staff for assistance in locating poems elsewhere.
REF 808.81016 GRA
Bibliography of Canadian History
This bibliography lists the first 200+ books in the Portage College Library Canadian History section in alphabetical order by the author's last name. To search for a topic, type your search term in the "Search RefWorks" box in the top right hand corner. The descriptors displayed in each record are links to other items that have been tagged with the same descriptor. For more information on using this resource, contact Terry Donovan at 1-866-623-5551, extension 5755 or by e-mail at library@portagecollege.ca
PERIODICALS: MAGAZINES, JOURNALS, NEWSPAPERS
Periodicals are published at regular intervals, generally more frequently than annually. Each issue is numbered and/or dated consecutively, and normally contains separate articles, stories, or other writings. Scanning current issues of periodicals in your subject area can be useful when you are trying to think of a topic.
ELECTRONIC DATABASES
The WebCat is the Library's computerized catalogue. It is the listing of books, videos, and journals available in the Library. You can locate material on specific topics by performing a Subject Heading search. Portage College Library uses Library of Congress Subject Headings.
Some sample headings you can perform a search on in the WebCat:
Biology
Chemistry
English language
Mathematics
Physics
Public speaking
Report writing
Resumes (employment)
Social sciences
Study skills
The Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System to group books and videos together by subject on the library shelves. The call number on the WebCat corresponds to the number on the label on the spine of the book (e.g. 155.4 BEE).
Examples
300 - Social studies
371 - Study skills
428 - Grammar
500 - Sciences
650.14 - Resumes/Cover letters
808 - Writing, Technical skills
An electronic database is used to find articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Portage Library subscribes to a number of Web-based electronic databases. For a complete listing of these databases, please see this list and consult with a library staff on the appropriate database(s) to use for your research needs. The databases that you will find useful for your studies are:WEB SITES
The Internet is a rich source of material. The sites listed here are just a starting point. If you are looking for a specific topic, try typing keywords into one of the basic search tools such as Yahoo, AltaVista, Google, etc.
Academic Search Complete is the world's most comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 4,600 peer-reviewed journals. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in searchable PDF format.
Canadian Literary Centre consists of book and reference content from Essays on Canadian Writing Press (ECW Press). ECW Press also provides several individual monographs and biographies, essays and literary criticism. The database includes book reviews, essays, author biographies, and much more. This database is updated on a daily basis.
History Resource Center: World
From ancient Europe to Latin America and from the Far East to the Renaissance, world history curricula is supported with over 1,800 primary sources, over 27 reference titles and more than 110 journals.
Humanities International Complete is an essential collection for libraries looking to provide comprehensive coverage of the humanities with full text content.
International Political Science Abstracts, produced by the International Political Science Association, includes current indexing and abstracts of the world's leading journals in political science. This database covers nearly 900 journals published from 1989 to the present.
Shakespeare Collection has an extensive collection of authoritative materials supporting literary, textual, historical, and performance studies. Resources include the most recent Arden Shakespeare editions of the complete works, as well as editions and adaptations of Shakespeare's works, other works published during Shakespeare's time, prompt books, the Gordon Crosse Theatrical Diaries, criticism, reviews, images, and reference.
World History Collection offers a global look at history with content from Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. World History Collection contains cover-to-cover full text for 150 titles, including many peer-reviewed journals. Full text dates as far back as 1964.
Access to databases is restricted to the Portage College students, faculty and staff
Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Grammar and punctuation guide. Includes examples and mini-quizzes in an easy to use format.
eNature
Derived from the Audubon Field Guide Books. Includes color photos of plants, animals, birds, shells, etc. as well as narrative.
Job Futures
Full text of Government of Canada publication that describes the current and future job prospects for a variety of occupations. Updated annually.
Math2.org
Contains math reference tables covering algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.
Mathworld
Includes over 10,000 entries, animated graphics and more. A free service for the mathematical community provided by Wolfram Research with additional support from the National Science Foundation.
Project Gutenberg
Full text of many classic books.
Canadian Poetry and Poets
Poetry, biographies, and bibliographies of more than seventy Canadian poets. Also provides information about literary events and awards, Canadian poetry journals and magazines, other poetry sites, and other related resources.
Canadian Information by Subject - National Library of Canada
