HIST 83/184 - North America: Peoples & Lands (Wigmore)

Encyclopedias and Other Reference Sources

These sources are "tertiary sources" and are not scholarly in that they are short and do not usually contain references, but they are trustworthy and can help you get started finding background info.

At the beginning of the research process, it's very useful to get an overview of your topic. Encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference sources are a great way to get started and to find background information on your topic from various perspectives. Below are links to these types of sources available through SCU Library, to give you an alternative to Wikipedia.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
A collection of online reference sources

Credo Reference
A collection of online reference sources

Finding Books at SCU

Books are wonderful and they come in all shapes and sizes! SCU Library owns hundreds of thousands of print books and subscribes to nearly as many ebooks.

Many print books that would be good for your topic might require one or two additional steps to obtain, but sometimes that book--or a chapter it contains--is essential for your topic.

Using OSCAR to find books

Watch the video below to learn how to use OSCAR to locate books in the SCU Library