Gather Background Information - HIST 2500 - Coffee & Tea in World History - Library Guides at Georgia Southern University

Credo's Mind Map feature provides a visual representation of your results with your search term(s) at or near the center and related hyperlinked terms radiating out.

History Reference Databases

History Reference Source This link opens in a new window
The database features reference books, encyclopedias, non-fiction books, and history periodicals.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Includes over 650 titles with particular emphasis on subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks.

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

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 contains more developed entries written by scholars and experts within the field.

To find such a resource, use the Library's catalog to perform a broad, subject search or use a tertiary source as a search word. For example, "Food AND encyclopedia" or "Global trade AND Dictionary"