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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.
Religious books and books about religion are shelved together in libraries using the Library of Congress Classification. In general, the “B” section—philosophy, psychology, and religion—contains books of interest in this field, but there are several specific subject prefixes listed below.
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.
| Blackwell Dictionary of Judaica | REF BM 50 .C615 |
| Harper’s Bible Dictionary | REF BS 440 .H237 |
| International Dictionary of the Christian Church | REF BR 95 .D68 |
| Living Bible Concordance | REF BS 425 .S67 |
| Oxford Dictionary of Saints | REF BR 1710 .F34 |
| Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | REF BL 31 .084 |
| Popular Dictionary of Islam | REF BP 40 .N48 |
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 African American Religion | REF BR 563 .N4 E53 |
| Encyclopedia of American Religion | REF BL 2525 .M449 |
| Encyclopedia of Early Christianity | REF BR 162.2 .E53 |
| Encyclopedia of Religion in the South | REF BR 535 .E52 |
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.
Journals are scholarly periodicals which publish current research and commentary on their specific field of study. Most scholarly journals are peer-reviewed which means they have been reviewed and verified by a panel of experts in the field.
The link below provides a list of all print journals and magazines and their location currently available here in the Rose Library
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!