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Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Atlases, & more

Jump start your research, look up hard facts, find just the right word, and more...

Why Use Encyclopedias

If your instructor has told you that you can't use encyclopedias be sure to question that limitation, because scholarly subject encyclopedias are very credible academic resources. Think of them as books filled with scholarly articles that are like well-written research papers.

Subject encyclopedias are:
  • Highly reliable
  • Cover topics in detail
  • Include articles signed by the scholar authors
  • Have helpful bibliographies
  • Are brief enough so as not to be overwhelming

Subject Encyclopedias @ MJC

Great resources to jump start your research: Use when you want to read in-depth topic overview articles, get reliable background information, biographies, etc.


Use the MJC Library Catalog to Find Encyclopedias

Simply begin by searching on the name of your subject followed by the word encyclopedias. For example, psychology encyclopedias, sports encyclopedias, popular culture encyclopedias, science encyclopedias, law encyclopedias, etc.

Use the search bar below to begin your search:


What if MJC Doesn't Have What I Need?
  • If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the MJC Library catalog, use our interlibrary loan service.

You can also use library databases to find online specialized encyclopedias that the MJC Library owns. 

When connecting to research databases from off campus you'll need to login just like you do for email or Canvas

General Encyclopedias

These are great resources to use for brief overviews on a wide range of topics.

The most popular general encyclopedia that you will find in the MJC Library is The World Book Encyclopedia. To find it, visit the reference collection and look for the call number: AE5 .W55 2010.

You'll also find encyclopedias online: