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Reference Sources

When you need an overview of a topic (who, what, where, when), background information, statistics, or lists of sources on your topic, look in a reference book. Or try searching an encyclopedia. For broad overviews, there are general encyclopedias, such as Britannica.com:

For more in-depth subject information (terminology, key figures, etc.), there are specialized, subject encyclopedias, which have articles written by scholars in international studies. Bibliographies are lists of books, articles, speeches, videos, and other sources on a topic, normally organized by format and/or sub-topic. Until you have acquired enough experience, you may find the research done by others more valuable than starting from scratch yourself. Don't "reinvent the wheel;" use what's already there, if possible.

Here are a few examples of the many reference books you can find in the UW Libraries. Use these types of sources to acquire key concepts and terminology to use in your search strategy.

• Look in the UW Libraries Catalog

• Use selected resources for international studies

• Ask a reference librarian!