The Tomlinson Library has a variety of reference sources available to help in a variety of subjects. Utilize this subject guide to help you find reference resources needed to conduct quality and diverse research. Please see a list and description of different types of reference resources below.
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The Dictionary is a book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning, or gives the equivalent words in a different language, often also providing information about pronunciation, origin, and usage.
Directories provide names, addresses, affiliations, etc. of people, organizations, or institutions. They can be used to verify addresses, name spellings, and provide contact information. As in other reference sources, directories may be general or focused on a particular subject.
An encyclopedia is a book or a collection of books providing information on a set or variety of subjects.