Information Literacy for First Year Students: Lesson 1: Information Sources - background information

• A reference book on a particular subject and items are arranged in alphabetical order
• Provides meaning and equivalent of words
• Provides equivalent of words in different languages
• Explains specific terminology
• Format: Print or online

Useful to get background information or definitions

• The Oxford English dictionary
• Harvard dictionary of music
• Collins English thesaurus

Library catalogue

Dictionaries are reference material and not available for loan 
unless it is in electronic format.

• A reference book giving information on general topics or specific topics.
• Information is comprehensive and authoritative
• Contains factual information
• Contains illustrations
• Format: Print or electronic

General:

• Encyclopaedia Britannica
• Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia

Subject:

• Encyclopedia of Religion
• Encyclopedia of Sociology

Library catalogue

Encyclopaedias are reference material and not available for loan
unless it is in electronic format. 

• Connected group of pages on the World Wide Webb
• Organisational information (.org)
• Commercial information (.com)
• Educational information (.edu)
• Individual information
• Company information
• Social media
• Information cannot always be verified or checked for accuracy
• Textual information
• Visual information
• Multimedia
• Interactive

• Information is devoted to a single topic or several closely related topics
• Message boards
• Social Media sites
• Academic journals (etc)