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FYW: Evaluating Scientific Claims (Turgeon): Find Background
How to Find & Maximize Reference Sources
Find background sources in the catalog by adding your keyword(s) to this reference-specific search:
References sources, particularly specialized encyclopedias, offer many benefits. Consider the following tips as you review a reference source on your topic to reap all the benefits and make your researching even better.
- Get definitions and background - Reference sources assume that you are new to a topic. Jargon and specialized terminology will be explained and contextualized, which you might not get in more advanced books and journal articles.
- Get caught-up on a topic - Research is a conversation, and often it's been going on for years. Reference sources will provide a historical background and identify key developments to help you understand how we got to the current understandings and theories.
- Identify key people and theories - Who are the most important people and ideas on your topic? Reference sources will help you identify them so you can explore them more deeply.
- Find more sources - Reference sources will provide additional reading, usually in the form of references or background lists. These are a great next-step in your research process.
Ebooks
Use the box below to search Furman University and PASCAL for ebooks related to your topic.
Use the box below to search all of the ebooks available through GALE.
Recommended Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Dictionary of EnergyISBN: 9780080457239Contains over 8,000 clear and concise definitions on virtually every topic in energy, organised in 40 key subject areas. Includes more than 100 mini-essays on subjects of particularly topical interest. Compiled with expert input and advice from a board of outstanding scientists and leaders in the energy field. Published 2006.
The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science and MedicineThe Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science and Medicine provides comprehensive and authoritative definitions of nearly 8,000 sports science and sports medicine terms. All major areas are covered, including exercise psychology, sports nutrition, biomechanics, anatomy, sports sociology, trainingprinciples and techniques and sports injury and rehabilitation.
Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and TechnologyThe Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology (ESST) addresses the grand challenge for science and engineering today. It provides unprecedented, peer-reviewed coverage in more than 550 separate entries comprising 38 topical sections. ESST establishes a foundation for the many sustainability and policy evaluations being performed in institutions worldwide.
Black's Medical DictionaryContaining more than 5,500 definitions and descriptions of medical terms and concepts, with more than 1,000 diagrams, drawings, and color illustrations--and helpful appendices on common medical tests and procedures, travel and health, measurements in medicine, health economics, complementary and alternative medicine, and an address list of professional support organizations.
