Should you always begin your research by using a reference source? Why or why not?

Who writes the entries in reference sources? What does this tell you?

Where can you find definitions of scientific, medical, or business terms that you don't find in regular dictionaries?

How does background information contribute to the strategic research process?

Reference

Finding Reference Sources using Schmidt Library

Basics

There are several ways to locate reference sources through the Schmidt Library. Try using the options below:

1. From the Schmidt Library home page, click on Finder in the left-hand navigation menu. Choose Find Reference Sources. From there you can choose from a variety of online reference sources by type (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc) and subject (business & company information, medicine, etc).
2. From the Schmidt Library home page, click on Subject Guides. From there you can choose to access a variety of reference sources for specific subject areas.
3. To search the Schmidt Library catalog for Reference Sources by use the options at the bottom of the Advanced Search Screen and limit the LOCATION to “Reference Area.”
4. Cite Reference Sources

General Information

Types

1. The Importance of Background Information - U of Buffalo
2. What are Reference Tools? - Houston Comm Coll

Develop and use a variety of search strategies

Use appropriate tools to identify and locate potential sources of information

Evaluate information and select best sources

Deborah Ricker Biology Professor

"In my opinion, the information literacy course is going to be really valuable to our biology students and science majors because the curriculum places heavy emphasis on student research and independent research. And, as such, students need to have the ability to retrieve information, to obtain some background information on a project that they are doing, to establish critical methodologies, learn what has been published in literature about current methods, and also once they get their data, to put that data in some perspective to figure out where their data lies in the big picture. So in that regard, the ability and the confidence to go out into the world and seek that information is going to be a very valuable tool for our science majors."