Encyclopedias

What are encyclopedias? What am I going to find in an encyclopedia?

Encyclopedias contain articles summarizing basic knowledge and information either on various aspects of a specific subject area or across many disciplines. It is intended to be comprehensive--meaning that there is an attempt to deal, in one way or another, with all topics within its scope.

Encyclopedias are usually arranged alphabetically by topic name, but occasionally are arranged in topic subcategories. The articles tend to be based on secondary source information, and are widely varied in writing style, ease of use, and article length. They can be any number of volumes in length, from single-volume to twenty or more volumes.

Encyclopedias appear in print and electronic formats, and there are useful encyclopedias for music research in several different languages.

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