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Reference
IMPORTANT NOTE: Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide useful background information and are valuable tools as you begin to research a topic. HOWEVER, they are not significant sources for research papers and an overreliance on such works indicates superficial, not thorough, research.
General Reference Databases
- Cambridge Archive Editions
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Historical reference materials related to the national heritage and political development of the Middle East, Russia and the Balkans, the Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and China and the Far East.
- Gale eBooks
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Database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources.
- Oxford Reference Library
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Reference resources from the Oxford University Press. Includes English dictionaries and thesauruses, English language reference books, bilingual dictionaries, quotations, maps and illustrations, timelines and subject reference sources.
Biographical Databases
- Biography and Genealogy Master Index
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Biography and Genealogy Master Index (BGMI) provides more than 20 million biographical citations on more than 6 millions persons, living and deceased, from all fields of activity, covering more than 2,000 years of human history.
- Biography (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
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Biography is built on a foundation of more than 600,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study.
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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Biographies of those who have shaped British history and culture, worldwide, from the Romans to the 21st century. - World Biographical Information System
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Worldwide index to biographical information on people from the 8th century B.C. to the present.
Encyclopedias Focusing on Religions
- Encyclopaedia Judaica
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Authoritative reference resource for Jewish knowledge and life.
- Encyclopaedia of Islam Online (English)
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The standard reference work in the field of Islamic studies; electronic access to the 2nd ed., enhanced by the inclusion of an Index of proper names and an Index of subjects, and the ongoing 3rd ed.
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church by Call Number: E-bookISBN: 9780192802903Publication Date: 2005-09-08
- The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BR95 .O8 2005ISBN: 9780192802903Publication Date: 2005-09-08Uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable one-volume reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains over 6,000 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, including theology, churches and denominations, patristic scholarship, the bible, the church calendar and its organization, popes, archbishops, saints, and mystics. In this revision, innumerable small changes have been made to take into account shifts in scholarly opinion, recent developments, such as the Church of England's new prayer book (Common Worship), RC canonizations, ecumenical advances and mergers, and, where possible, statistics. A number of existing articles have been rewritten to reflect new evidence or understanding, for example the Holy Sepulchre entry, and there are a few new articles. Perhaps most significantly, a great number of the bibliographies have been updated. Established since its first appearance in 1957 as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, ODCC is an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.
The Encyclopedia of Christianity by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BR95 .E8913 1999ISBN: 9789004169678Publication Date: 2008-05-12"The Encyclopedia of Christianity is the first of a five-volume English translation of the third revised edition of Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon. Its German articles have been tailored to suit an English readership, and articles of special interest to English readers have been added. The encyclopedia describes Christianity through its 2000-year history within a global context, taking into account other religions and philosophies. A special feature is the statistical information dispersed throughout the articles on the continents and over 170 countries. Social and cultural coverage is given to such issues as racism, genocide, and armaments, while historical content shows the development of biblical and apostolic traditions. This comprehensive work, while scholarly, is intended for a wide audience and will set the standard for reference works on Christianity."--"Outstanding reference sources 2000", American Libraries, May 2000. Comp. by the Reference Sources Committee, RUSA, ALA.
The New Encyclopedia of Judaism by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BM50 .E63 2002ISBN: 0814793886Publication Date: 2002-09-01Winner, The New York Public Library, Best of Reference Award, 2002 New York University Press is proud to announce the return of a valuable resource for both Jewish families and those interested in learning more about the Jewish faith. The New Encyclopedia of Judaism is a comprehensive one-volume encyclopedia that accessibly presents every aspect of the Jewish religion and represents current thinking among scholars in the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements. The original version of the encyclopedia was selected by the American Library Association as an Outstanding Reference Book. This revised and expanded edition updates the original thousand entries and adds nearly 250 new ones. Magnificently illustrated, it also contains a new introduction, a guide for usage, new illustrations, as well as a new annotated bibliography. Its compilation was overseen by the late Geoffrey Wigoder, best known as the Editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Judaica. The articles cover a vast spectrum of topics. There are biographical entries on biblical figures, rabbis, and others whose thoughts and actions have influenced the development of Judaism. Also included are dozens of insightful commentaries on specific prayers. Issues of particular contemporary interest are given special attention, as are women's roles, with a separate entry on the feminist movement and new biographical entries on figures ranging from Miriam and Deborah to Blu Greenberg and Suzannah Heschel. Particularly emphasized are the customs and folk traditions of Jewish outposts the world over. Authoritative and accessible, The New Encyclopedia of Judaism fulfills the promise of the first edition and serves as a standard one-volume Jewish reference work for the new millennium. It is an ideal reference for every Jewish household and synagogue library.
Encyclopaedia of Judaism by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BM50 .E625 2005ISBN: 900414787XPublication Date: 2005-12-23This new edition of the prize-winning Encyclopaedia of Judaism is nearly double in size to the original three-volume edition. It features 52 new entries and includes the two separately published supplementary volumes and bibliographic updates.This second edition offers an authoritative, comprehensive, and systematic presentation of the current state of scholarship on fundamental issues of Judaism, both past and present. While heavy emphasis is placed on the classical literature of Judaism and its history, this edition also includes principal entries on circumcision, genetic engineering, homosexuality, intermarriage in American Judaism, and other acutely contemporary issues.Articles are written in essay form, and many are illustrated for further emphasis. The elaborate index facilitates ready access to significant people, places, and other factual information. This invaluable reference work is written for an audience from all backgrounds, scholars and general readers alike.
New Encyclopedia of Islam by Call Number: Wells Library - Research Coll. - BP40 .G42 2013ISBN: 9781442223486Publication Date: 2013-10-25The acclaimed New Encyclopedia of Islam has been completely revised, updated, and re-designed in a fresh larger-format, with more than 1,500 entries. The New Encyclopedia of Islam is unique as a single-volume work that encompasses the beliefs, practices, history, and culture of the Islamic world. The Economist described the first edition as "a miracle" for its readability; the Independent hailed "a magnificent achievement." The book is suitable for novices and scholars alike. In this expanded new edition, with an extensive chronology, Cyril Glasse provides a truly unrivaled study of one of the world's great religions.
Encyclopedia of Islam in the United States by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BP67.U6 E53 2007ISBN: 9780313336256Publication Date: 2007-09-30Some scholars believe that the influence of Islam in the United States can be traced back to Thomas Jefferson. Today, Islam and American Muslim populations are growing in importance in this country, and demand for information about them is high, especially in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. This A-to-Z encyclopedia will help students and other readers get a fast grip on pertinent holidays, terms, beliefs, practices, notables, and sects of the Islamic faith and Muslim practitioners in the United States. The accompanying primary documents volume provides 93 crucial articles, speeches, essays, poems, songs, and more to flesh out the encyclopedia entries. This encyclopedia and primary documents set, the first on the topic and for the general reader, is a must-have for every library. The primary focus is contemporary but the entries are historically contextualized, so the fuller picture of origins outside the country and practice now in the United States is clear. Further reading suggestions accompany each entry. The primary documents volume enhances the encyclopedic entries with annotated selections such as an article from an entry on a leading Muslim American magazine or an essay by a Muslim American scholar to illuminate an entry on her. This will be a boon for students doing reports on Islam and for non-Muslims looking to learn about Muslims in an objective, broad way. It is clearly and authoritatively written and compiled by a host of scholars, primarily from Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies. An introduction, chronology, selected bibliography, set index, and photos round out the set. Sample entries: African Americans; Bush, George W.; Calendar; Dietary Rules; Dress; Gulf War; Hate Crimes; Iranian Hostage Crisis; Media Coverage; The Message International Magazine; Mosques; Music; Muslim Students Association; Nation of Islam; Native Americans; New York City; Poetry; Prisons; Shi'a Communities; Sufism; World Trade Center; Young Professionals. Sample documents: Salah Al-Sawy, The Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America Fatwa Against the Danish Media and Government over the Cartoon Crisis, from The Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America; Michael Wolfe, Michael Wolfe, United States, 1990, from One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing about the Muslim Pilgrimage; Waris and Wajid Syed, Top 10 Muslim Hip-Hop Lyrics, from Warbux Records, beliefnet.com
Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BL1105 .B75 2009ISBN: 9789004176416Publication Date: 2009-09-24The five-volume Brill s Encyclopedia of Hinduism is a thematically organized encyclopedia, presenting 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. Following a pluralistic approach, the encyclopedia embraces the greatest possible diversity, plurality, and heterogeneity. It thus emphasizes that Hinduism encompasses a variety of regional religious traditions, as well as a global world religion. Volume I of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism covers two main thematic fields. First it presents the regional traditions of Hinduism with articles on the Indian states and main regions of India and on historical regions outside of India. Here the reader will also find entries on sacred space and pilgrimage traditions, sacred time and festival traditions. The second thematic field concerns the various gods, goddesses and divine powers of Hinduism past and present.
Encyclopedia of Hinduism by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BL1105 .E53 2008ISBN: 9780700712670Publication Date: 2007-09-18The Encyclopedia of Hinduism contains over 900 entries reflecting recent advances in scholarship which have raised new theoretical and methodological issues as well as identifying new areas of study which have not been addressed previously. The debate over the term 'Hinduism' in the light of post-Orientalist critiques is just one example of how once standard academic frameworks have been called into question. Entries range from 150-word definitions of terms and concepts to 5,000-word in-depth investigations of major topics. The Encyclopedia covers all aspects of Hinduism but departs from other works in including more ethnographic and contemporary material in contrast to an exclusively textual and historical approach. It includes a broad range of subject matter such as: historical developments (among them nineteenth and twentieth century reform and revival); geographical distribution (especially the diaspora); major and minor movements; philosophies and theologies; scriptures; deities; temples and sacred sites; pilgrimages; festivals; rites of passa≥ worship; religious arts (sculpture, architecture, music, dance, etc.); religious sciences (e.g. astrology); biographies of leading figures; local and regional traditions; caste and untouchability; feminism and women's religion; nationalism and the Hindu radical right; and new religious movements. The history of study and the role of important scholars past and present are also discussed. Accessibility to all levels of reader has been a priority and no previous knowledge is assumed. However, the in-depth larger entries and the design of the work in line with the latest scholarly advances means that the volume will be of considerable interest to specialists. The whole is cross-referenced and bibliographies attach to the larger entries. There is a full index.
Encyclopedia of Buddhism by Call Number: Wells Library - Reference Reading Room - BQ128 .E62 2004ISBN: 9780028657189Publication Date: 2005-06-01Providing a comprehensive overview of one of Asia's most important religious and social forces, the "Encyclopedia of Buddhism describes the Buddhist world view, basic teachings and practices of Buddhism, as well as its different schools and sects. In addition to containing entries on Buddhist scriptures, art, architecture, saints, demons, monastic orders, festivals, rites and ceremonies, this new two-volume set explores the history of Buddhism, the different forms it has taken in different parts of the world, and how Buddhism has blended with other religions like Shinto, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity.
Encyclopedia of Buddhism by Call Number: Wells Library - Research Coll. - BQ128 .E53 2007ISBN: 9780415314145Publication Date: 2004-02-20Reflects the current state of scholarship in Buddhist Studies, its entries being written by specialists in many areas, presenting an accurate overview of Buddhist history, thought and practices, most entries having cross-referencing to others and bibliographical references. Contain around 1000 pages and 500,000 words, totalling around 1200 entries.
