Use an encyclopedia when you need:
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are non-fiction books that contain factual articles on many subjects, and can be found in print or online.
An encyclopedia may be general or specialized.
A general encyclopedia provides overviews of a wide variety of subjects. A print encyclopedia is alphabetically arranged so you can easily choose the volume that includes your subject.
If a particular topic does not appear in one of the alphabetic volumes, you can consult the index volume that will refer you to the pages on which the information is available.
Online encyclopedias are easily searchable by keyword, or by browsing alphabetically.
In contrast to a general encyclopedia, a specialized encyclopedia is limited in scope to one subject.
The table of contents of a specialized encyclopedia may provide possible topics for research papers. Reading an article should help you explore the various aspects and approaches to a subject.
