What is an Encyclopedia?
- An encyclopedia is a reference work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or that treats a particular branch of knowledge in a comprehensive manner. - from Encyclopaedia Brittanica
- An example of an encyclopedia that contains information on all branches of knowledge is The World Book Encyclopedia. An example of an encyclopedia that treats a particular branch of knowledge in a comprehensive manner is the Encyclopedia of video games the culture, technology, and art of gaming.
How do I do research in it?
- Encyclopedias are a great place to start your research because encyclopedia articles are usually short, and give a broad overview of a topic.
- An encyclopedia is a great source for checking on basic facts, such as the dates for World War I, or the name of a river in China.
- Encyclopedias that focus on a particular topic such as women and Islam, or the Information Technology profession will have a wide array of articles on that topic, leading to greater depth in that particular area of knowledge than an encyclopedia that is intended to cover all areas of knowledge.
- Encyclopedias are a great addition to your research, but they should not be the only source you use on a research project.