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HIST 2630 - Historical Methods - DENMARK: Gather Background Information

Try Specialized
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries are more specialized than general ones. Coverage is limited to a specific subject or field of study and contain more developed entries written by scholars and experts within the field.

Gather Background Info with Reference Resources

Most reference resources are considered "tertiary" source materials. These books and websites provide background information and an overview and analysis of a subject or concept.

Tertiary sources have been compiled from secondary sources. Unlike a secondary source book or journal article, tertiary sources are not intended to be read in their entirety. Instead, they are most often used to clarify terms and concepts about a particular topic. Tertiary sources include:

  • Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Factbooks
  • Bibliographies*
  • Dictionaries and Encyclopedias*
  • Indexes and Abstracts
  • Manuals
  • Textbooks*

*Also considered secondary

History Reference Databases