Deadline for the 2026 Awards is February 13, 2026
Win up to $1000!
These awards were created to reward those students who take the time to develop a thoughtful, methodical, and scholarly approach to the research needed for their papers and projects, as well as to encourage students to develop good research techniques.
Find out more at the
Student Library Research Awards site
This guide provides some useful starting places and strategies for doing research for this course. Use the blue tabs to navigate to the pages you need.
I am happy to consult with you on any aspect of your research, from developing a research question to finding, evaluating, and citing sources. Email me or make an appointment on my calendar.
Reference sources such as specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries are a good place to gather factual information, get an overview of a topic, find ideas for keywords, and get bibliographies that point to key books and articles on a topic.
Below are different resources for finding reference sources.
Search here to use the "Encyclopedia articles & more" filter in SuperSearch, which finds articles in a range of reference works from several databases. For more focused searching, try searching one of the individual databases below.
Specialized reference databases provide a more focused search experience, with filters and other features that can help you narrow in on what you need. The databases below contain a range of specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and other reference sources in different subject areas, allowing you to explore a topic or concept from a variety of perspectives.
Annotated bibliographies for a variety of subject areas.
Over 400 full-text academic encyclopedias, language dictionaries, books of quotations, and other sources. Includes subject-specific titles from art, classics, history, law, linguistics, literature, media studies, medicine, performing arts, philosophy, religion, science and technology, politics, and more.
Search across full-text encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books in a variety of subject areas.
Hundreds of full-text academic encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other sources for introductions to topics, definitions, or factual information. Includes subject-specific titles from art, literature, education, science, religion, history and more.
Thousands of articles by scholars focused on the lives and events that have shaped African American and African history and culture, along with primary source documents, encyclopedias, and biographies.
For even more focused searching or browsing, try an individual reference work. Here are some selected titles related to topics of this course.
Archaeology of Food: an Encyclopedia
The Cambridge World History of Food
Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics
The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Food Issues