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Biographies are dictionaries and indexes devoted exclusively to information about people. Information included in biographical sources usually includes the place and date of birth, details about the person's education and major work experiences, character, personality, and contributions to their chosen field. Biographical sources vary as to how much detailed coverage is provided.
| Adolf Hitler: a Biographical Companion | DD 247 .H5 N53 |
| The Diary of Anne Frank | PS 3513 .053515 D5 |
Books are written or printed works produced by one or more authors. Individuals or committees with expertise in the field often edit books. Because they provide comprehensive information on their subject at the time of publication, books are very valuable in the research process. For many subject areas this is the best starting point for research. Many books contain valuable bibliographies at end of each chapter or at the close of the book. This provides an excellent entry point into the subject material as well to the authors publishing in a particular field of study.
| A History of the Holocaust | D 810. J4 B315823 |
| A wolf in the Attic: the Legacy of a Hidden Child of the Holocaust | DS 135. U43 R537 |
| Anne Frank: Reflections on her Life and Legacy | DS 135. N6 F73 |
| The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia | DD 247. H5 O94 |
| Good and Evil after Auschwitz: Ethical Implications for Today | D 804.3. G662 |
| Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics | DD 247. H5 S654 |
| Life Unworthy of Life: Racial Phobi and Mass Murder in Hitler's Germany | D 804.3. G587 |
| Literature of the Holocaust | PN 56. H55 L575 |
| Mein Kampf | DD 247. H5 A32 |
| Nazi Germany and the Jews | DS 135. G3315 F75 |
| The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust | DS 135. A93 B44 |
| Night | DS 135 .N53 W54813 |
| The Origins of Nazi Genocide: from Euthanasia to the Final Solution | DD 256.5. F739 |
| People in Auschwitz | D 805.5. A96 L3613 |
| The Roots of Nazi Psychology: Hitler's Utopian Barbarism | DD 256.5 G595 |
| Voices of the Shoah: Remembrances of the Holocaust; sound recording. | D 810. J4 V65 |
Critical Surveys are attempts to “survey” the field of literature for a particular time and place, with attention to high, and even low, points. Such surveys discuss the works of authors who are considered to be the most important, exemplary of the era, widely read, and or critically regarded. Surveys include information on literary forms and styles of the era. Literary Histories describe the significant literary events of each period or era.
Online information databases are large, regularly updated collections of digitized information -- including but not limited to abstracts and full text articles from journals and newspapers, conference proceedings and submitted papers, dissertations, government reports, essays, book chapters, web pages, etc. The content is created by publishers who release print versions, then lease the rights to their information to database vendors. Database records are easy to search and retrieve because the content of each record has been analyzed and assigned appropriate subject headings, keywords, names, etc. New records are regularly downloaded from the producer of each database.
In order to access these resources off-campus, you must first obtain the passwords.
A dictionary is any single or multi-volume work which briefly explains terms and topics related to a specific subject, usually arranged alphabetically. Dictionary entries are usually shorter than those found in an encyclopedia. Dictionaries assist with the understanding of terminology and concepts, suggest synonyms, related terms, and scientific names, and are useful resources to consult when formulating and refining your research strategy. Often illustrations and references to additional resources are included.
Encyclopedias are among the most widely used reference sources and contain articles of varying lengths covering all fields of knowledge. Typically encyclopedias cover many topics but without going into a great deal of depth on any one thing. Encyclopedias are a good starting point for researching topics that you do not know much about or that are completely new to you. They can give you background information which can help when you move to more in-depth sources later. Specialized encyclopedias may cover just one field or even a sub-unit of that field. Subject encyclopedias can be consulted for detailed or technical information on a subject.
| Encyclopedia of Holocaust Literature | PN 56 .H55 E53 |
| The Holocaust Encyclopedia | REF D 804.25 H66 |
Government information is generated by local, state, national, and international governments on almost all topics. Most government information is undergoing a major shift from traditional formats such as print and microfiche, to a variety of electronic formats available through the Internet. Government information is considered to be a primary, authoritative and reliable resource. To find government information on your topic, search the library catalog, specialized indexes, and government agency web sites.
An excellent resource for all types of government information in virtually any subject area or topic is the GSA Federal Citizen Information Center. Individuals can access information online or by using the Consumer Information Catalog to locate items.
Handbooks, manuals and guides are resources which supply concise factual and statistical information often in the form of charts, graphs, tables and formulas. These sources have very basic information, with little or no discussion or analysis of the facts they present. They cover a wide variety of topics, and as with other reference sources, these tools may be general or specific to a field, group of people, or era. These sources are frequently updated, which makes them valuable for locating current information. Try searching the online catalog using the keywords of your topic combined with one of the following keywords: handbook, manual or guide.
| The Jewish holocaust: an Annotated Guide to Books in English | REF Z 6374. H6 B58 |
Statistical sources attempt to answer questions beginning with “How much?” or “How many?” The tool needed to answer such a question is determined by the question's depth and complexity. Typically a straightforward question requires searching for statistics already analayzed and recorded in books, journal articles, and the publications of governments, associations, and organizations.
| Genocide in the First Half of the 20th Century | CIRC HV 6322.7 .G44 |
| Holocaust: Liberation of Auschwitz: a Documentary | CIRC D 805 .P7 H64 |
Web sites are often a blend of information, entertainment and advertising, and this can make determining the credibility of a web site difficult. However, if you apply specific criteria and ask certain questions about any web site and the information it provides, you have a better chance of finding the best the web has to offer. It is necessary to critically evaluate information found on the web since almost anything can be put online.
The steps to take to evaluate Internet information can be valuable in determining if the information is of academic value. It's very important to learn to evaluate web resources before using them in an academic project; not all resources are reasonable for all purposes!