The libraries provide access to many encyclopedias and dictionaries that focus on, or specialize in, particular subject areas. In addition to defining terminology and providing the intellectual history or landscape of issues and subjects, they can also be useful for generating ideas since they often highlight ongoing controversies.
In addition, Wikipedia articles can be useful for generating ideas, particularly for popular culture topics and when you want to find recent developments on a current topic. Since Wikipedia entries are not necessarily written by people who are well informed on a particular topic, it is important to think critically about the information you find and to be sure to verify that information with other sources.
For relevant encyclopedias and/or dictionaries, link to York University Library’s Research Guide for your particular subject area. Click here to visit it now.