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Literary Studies

Why use dictionaries and/or encyclopedias?

Background sources such as, but not limited to, dictionaries and encyclopedias provide context for your topic or even help you choose one. Researchers use them when they need:

  • A brief overview of a topic
  • Definitions of terminology
  • Important issues, figures, dates, and/or events for a topic
  • Sources for further research in the form of bibliographies

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries and Background and Citation Databases