Research/Research/Reference Reference

SkillsSkills

7th – 8th grade

Hardcopy ReferencesHardcopy References• Encyclopedia• Atlas• Almanac• Dictionary• Thesaurus• Magazines• Newspapers

EncyclopediaEncyclopedia

• Includes information on a wide range of topics or subjects–Arranged in alphabetical order by subject

AtlasAtlas

• A bound collection of all types of maps of the world, a country, or state

World AlmanacWorld Almanac

• A yearly calendar providing a wide variety of information on the times of certain events– Dates of holidays– Rising and setting of sun and

moon– Range of important events

Reader’s Guide to Reader’s Guide to PeriodicalsPeriodicals

• The Reader's Guide is an alphabetically-arranged index to magazine articles which you locate by looking up either subjects or authors.  The subject approach is most commonly used.  All abbreviations used in the guide can be found in the front of the issue. 

Newspapers/MagazinesNewspapers/Magazines• Many cities in America publish

daily newspapers (Ex: The Abbeville Meridional) and

• Magazines (Ex: Newsweek) are available on almost any subject

• Newspapers and magazines are referred to as periodicals because they are published on a regular basis

DictionaryDictionary• Spellings• Definitions• Pronunciation• Parts of speech

• An unabridged dictionary also gives the origin of the word

ThesaurusThesaurus

• A book of synonyms and antonyms

Some Features Reference Some Features Reference Sources may have in CommonSources may have in Common

• Title Page• Table of Contents• Glossary• Index• Bibliography

Title PageTitle Page• Title• Author• Publisher• Place of publication• Don’t forget the back of page

– Copyright date, publisher, city of publication, other information about the book

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

• What the book contains is broken down by – Chapters– Page Numbers– Includes where to find Glossary Index

GlossaryGlossary

• Includes important words from the textbook along with their definitions; it is the dictionary of a textbook

• Located at the back of the book, before the Index– It is in alphabetical order

IndexIndex• Includes information

about everything in the book and which page(s) to find the information in the book– located at the very back of

the book– listed in alphabetical order

BibliographyBibliography

• Reference page for list of other sources for a book/paper– Alphabetical order by the

author’s last name•Also includes book title,

where published, publisher, copyright date, page numbers (if cited)

Which is the reference page Which is the reference page or list of sources for a book?or list of sources for a book?

• Index• Glossary• Title Page• Bibliography

Which source would be used Which source would be used to learn to pronounce a word? to learn to pronounce a word?

• Thesaurus• Dictionary• Almanac• Encyclopedia

Your family is driving to Boston, Your family is driving to Boston, Massachusetts, this summer. Massachusetts, this summer.

Where would you look Where would you look to find out how to find out how

long the drive will be?long the drive will be? • Globe• U.S. Atlas• Encyclopedia• Geography book

John wants to find out which football John wants to find out which football team won the Rose Bowl in 1992. What team won the Rose Bowl in 1992. What

resource would help him resource would help him find this information?find this information?

• Dictionary• The Readers’ Guide to

Periodical Literature• The World Almanac• An Atlas

What is the reference page What is the reference page for a list of sources for a list of sources

for a book?for a book?

• Index• Glossary• Title page• Bibliography

Jamal is reading a book about Jamal is reading a book about dinosaurs. Where should he look to dinosaurs. Where should he look to

find the definition of a wordfind the definition of a word he doesn’t know? he doesn’t know?

• Title page• Table of contents• Index• Glossary

Which of the following is an annual Which of the following is an annual publication with a calendarpublication with a calendar

for the year? for the year?

• Atlas• Almanac• Thesaurus• Dictionary

What question can Anna What question can Anna answer using a thesaurus?answer using a thesaurus?

• What is the capital of Maine?• What words means the same

as funny?• What do bears do when they

hibernate?• Does it ever snow in Spain?

While doing math homework, While doing math homework, Taquila became confused by two Taquila became confused by two

words, words, numeratornumerator and and denominatordenominator. . Where in her book would she most Where in her book would she most

likely find correct definitions of likely find correct definitions of these words?these words?

• Table of contents• Glossary• Title page• Index

In which of these resources would you In which of these resources would you find a listing of major earthquakes find a listing of major earthquakes

during the last century?during the last century? • Almanac• Thesaurus• Dictionary• Encyclopedia

Which resource would contain Which resource would contain information on the information on the

development of electricity?development of electricity?

• Atlas• Almanac• Dictionary• Encyclopedia

Which part of the book gives the Which part of the book gives the name of the book and name of the book and

the name of the publisher?the name of the publisher?

• Index• Glossary• Title page• Table of Contents

Which would be the best source Which would be the best source for info about the years for info about the years

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive?Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive?

• Atlas• Thesaurus• Dictionary• Encyclopedia

The part of the book that contains The part of the book that contains references to other sourcesreferences to other sources

is called the… is called the…

• Atlas• Index• Glossary• Bibliography

Where would you find Where would you find a brief summary of a brief summary of

Abraham Lincoln’s life?Abraham Lincoln’s life?

• Atlas• Thesaurus• Dictionary• Encyclopedia

What piece of information What piece of information would be found would be found on a title page? on a title page?

• Author’s name• History of the publisher• Number of pages in the book• Number of other books by the

author

Pat is looking for info on fossils. Pat is looking for info on fossils. Which resource would give him a list Which resource would give him a list of articles on rocks and fossils found of articles on rocks and fossils found

in magazines and other in magazines and other publications?publications?

• Thesaurus• Textbook glossary• Poor Richard’s Almanac• Reader’s Guide to

Periodicals