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.
Great resources to jump start your research: Use when you want to read in-depth topic overview articles, get reliable background information, biographies, etc.
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:
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 |
Why search here? Use this database for preliminary reading as you start your research. You'll learn about your topic by reading authoritative topic overviews on a wide variety of subjects.
What's included: Gale eBooks is comprised of subject, specialized encyclopedias with articles written by scholars and experts.
Why search here? Use this database to search our collection of thousands of eBooks the MJC Library owns through EBSCOhost. These books can be a great place to start your research.
What's included: Thousands of eBooks covering a wide variety of topics.
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: