Investigating Reference Materials

There are many types of reference materials to

choose from but do you know which one is best

for your situation?

Sara Burke

EDT 530

Where do you start when you want to learn about something new? Many people do an Internet search. The

Internet may give us a quick answer but, it is not always the best

resource. In this activity you are going to learn about numerous other

reference materials.

•Read through the all directions below

•Once you go to the Reference Materials page, click on each type of reference material

(you may view them in any order you wish but you must

view them all)

•When you finish previewing all the materials click on the Proceed to scenarios button.

•Next you will read about kids in different situations and choose the best reference material.

•Click Next for Helpful Hints.

Click on the speaker to hear instructions, definitions and helpful hints.

Here’s a hint… when clicking on a word or button be sure to scroll over it until you see a hand.

Of course if your question is not answered you can always ask for help!

Click Next to learn about Reference Materials

Click on a reference material below to find out more information.

An encyclopedia is a book that belongs to a set of books. In an

encyclopedia you can find information about specific topics. Encyclopedias are usually found

in libraries although some families have a set of their own.

Examples include World Book and Encyclopedia Britannica

A dictionary is a book that gives the meaning or meanings of most words.

Dictionary entries also include the syllable break down, part of speech and other forms of the word. Some entries

include the word’s origin.

A thesaurus is a book that gives you synonyms and antonyms of words.

You will find a thesaurus in most libraries. They are also available for personal purchase at book stores. Some computer applications have a built in thesaurus.

A map is a picture representation of a geographic location. There are many types of maps, examples include political maps and topographical maps. A political map shows country boundaries and topographical maps shows the earth’s terrain in 3-D.

An atlas is a collection of maps.

A magazine is a periodical that contains a collection of articles. Many magazines are published monthly, some weekly and others bi-weekly.

Examples of magazines include National Geographic, Sports Illustrated for Kids and American Girl.

A newspaper is a periodical that contains a collection of articles, sports scores and classified advertisements. Many newspapers are published daily while others are available once a week.

Examples of newspapers include The Camden Herald, Knox County Times and The Bangor Daily News.

The Internet is a vast collection of websites. Because the internet contains so much information you must use caution when using websites as reference materials. Many websites provide quality research material however some web sites do not.

Examples of quality information include MARVEL! and Enchanted Learning .

Examples of primary sources include personal interviews, personal journals/diaries, letters and photographs.

A primary source is a reference material in which you are getting information directly from the source.

Jamie is doing a report on the Luna Moth. His teacher wants him to use at least three sources and only one can be an Internet resource.

Should he…look up Luna Moth in a dictionary

find a book about moths at the library

look up Luna Moth in an encyclopedia

Danielle is writing a story about winter. After rereading her story she realizes that she used the word cold way too many times.

Should she…Look up the word cold in the dictionary

Do an internet search for cold

Look up cold in a thesaurus`

Janelle’s mom wants to go to a store in Portland but she’s not quite sure where it is. She has the street address.

Should she…Use a map website and get the driving directions

Use a World atlas to view a Maine map

Ask a friend for directions

Sam’s family is on their way to go skiing. Sam’s dad realizes he made a wrong turn and they are lost.

Should he…Do an Internet search for the ski mountain

Look at a Maine map or atlas

Read a magazine about Maine

Allie wants to learn about what life was like when her great-grandparents were her age.

Should she…Do an Internet search for her great-grandparents

Look up her great-grandparents names in an encyclopedia

Read her great-grandmother’s diary that is stored in the attic

Rachel is reading a book about owls. It says that owls are nocturnal animals. Rachel is not sure what nocturnal means.

Should she…Look up nocturnal in an encyclopedia

Look up nocturnal in a dictionary

Look up nocturnal in a thesaurus

Ethan is writing a report about the Ice Storm of 1998. He has interviewed his parents and grandparents. Now Ethan needs another resource.

Should he…Look up ice storm in an encyclopedia

Visit a weather forecasting website

Read newspaper articles written during and just after the Ice Storm

Final Thoughts• You will soon begin a Maine Studies unit.• As you research Maine topics think carefully as you choose

your resources.• You will be expected to tell why you chose each resource

instead of another reference material.• To show your new learning you will create a Kid Pix slide

show using the information you have learned about Maine.• To give you an idea of what is expected of your slide show

please evaluate this slide show using the rubric given to you by Mrs. B– You may go back through this slide show if you wish

(go back to slide one and either start the show again or scroll through the slides)

Good, an encyclopedia will provide specific information about the Luna Moth.

Using a dictionary would not give you enough information. It would only give you a brief definition of “Luna Moth” but would not give many details.

Finding a book about moths in the library is a good choice but another resource will give you more specific information. A book about moths may be hard to narrow down.

Looking up the word “cold” in the dictionary will provide you with the many meanings of “cold” but will not give you synonyms.

Considering that “cold” has multiple meanings using the Internet to search for “cold” will give you far too many search results. It would be difficult to sift through the many websites to find synonym for “cold”.

Very good! The purpose of a thesaurus to is to give synonyms for words (as well as antonyms).

Looking at a Maine map in an atlas will show the reader how to get from town to town but will most likely not provide detailed enough street maps.

Asking a friend for directions may or may not be a reliable source. When asking a friend you are relying on his/her ability to remember his/her own experiences and too many variables are involved.

Wonderful! Using a specific website to obtain quality information, in this case driving directions, is an excellent way to use the Internet.

It is unlikely that Sam’s dad would have the necessary tools to do an Internet search while driving in the car. This choice would not be practical.

Although reading a magazine about Maine might be interesting it will most likely not provide a map or directions.

Super! Many people keep a map or Maine atlas in the car for just such an occasion. Maps and atlases are helpful when you are lost or need directions.

Doing an Internet search for her great-grandparents would probably result in many websites with Allie’s great-grandparents name but not necessarily give personal memories of life long ago.

Using an encyclopedia to research her great-grandparents will probably not yield many results, if any. Allie would have better luck with another resource.

Fabulous! Allie’s great-grandmother’s diary is going to give the most realistic and personal view of what life was like years ago.

Using an encyclopedia to look up the word “nocturnal” would probably give the definition but would also give much much more information. Depending on your purpose an encyclopedia could be a great resource but sometimes you might not need to sift through an entire encyclopedia entry.

A thesaurus might help Rachel understand what the word means but it will not give an exact definition.

Very good! A dictionary would give just the right amount of information for Rachel to understand what the word “nocturnal” means and then keep reading.

Looking up “ice storm” in an encyclopedia will most likely not give the information that Ethan is seeking. Some information regarding this weather phenomenon might be found in an encyclopedia but another resource would be more suited for Ethan’s needs.

Visiting a weather forecasting website will give information about current weather conditions. Some weather websites also give general information about types of weather but Ethan is looking for more specific information.

Great! A newspaper would give local/regional accounts of events that happen in your area. Newspaper articles are a good way to obtain information about local history. Local libraries often have old newspapers stored in archives or on microfiche.

Final Thoughts.