HOW TO USE A REFERENCE BOOK

What is a reference book?

A reference book, such as a dictionary, an encyclopedia, a yearbook, or a

directory is compiled to provide facts or definite pieces of information of varying
length. As Harrod defines, “A reference book is intended to be referred to rather than
read through” (Prytherch 647). In other words, a reference book would be used when
a reader needs to know the meaning of a word (a dictionary), or wants to learn about
the life of an important person (biographical dictionary). This is one reason why a
reference book does not circulate, so the library keeps it for all readers to use any
time they need it.
A reference work may be a one-volume or multi-volume book. It can be also
found in an electronic format, such as a CD-ROM. The abbreviation Ref. printed on
top of the call number of a book is the mark that distinguishes a reference book from
one that may be borrowed, such as books and DVDs.

Types of reference books

v Encyclopedias

An encyclopedia is a book or set of books that gives information on all

branches of knowledge or on one branch, generally including articles arranged
alphabetically and signed by the authors. A good encyclopedia should have a subject
index either in a separate volume or at the back of the book. These subject indexes
help the reader locate topics easily. It is important to use the subject index first
because it shows in which volumes and on what pages a particular subject is
discussed.
An encyclopedia is a good source of information. Since an encyclopedia
gives an overview of a subject, it is essential when writing a paper to refer first to an
encyclopedia to learn general background information, which sets a good foundation
for the paper. This will also help to narrow down the topic of research.

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Types of encyclopedias:

Here are some commonly used encyclopedias:

Encyclopedia Americana
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics
International Encyclopedia of Education
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology.

How to use an encyclopedia:

Depending on the type of information required, one can decide whether to

use a specialized encyclopedia, like a medical one, or one that contains general
information. The next step is to either type the keyword(s) into the search bar of the
computerized encyclopedia, then hit the 'go' button, which will bring a list of all
articles and illustrations related to that subject matter.
When using an encyclopedia in book form, a good option is to go to the list
of contents at the beginning to look for the category required. However, it is often
easier to go to the index located at the back of the encyclopedia to look up the word
by the letter it starts with, which will be listed in alphabetical order in the index.

Tips:

• When using encyclopedias, you need to know the proper spelling of your
topic. If you don’t spell it correctly, you won’t find the information easily.
• You also need to generate a list of keywords that are related to your topic.
Try to include some general as well as specific terms. It can help you when
you are looking for your topic in the index.
• In addition, you can use the index volume to find all of the information
related to your topic. Use all your keywords. If you can’t locate your topic in
the index, it’s probably not in that encyclopedia.

v Dictionaries

A dictionary is a reference work that lists the definition, origin, spelling, and
pronunciation of words.

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Types of dictionaries:

A dictionary may be:

1. Monolingual: listing words and their meanings in the same language.
e.g. Webster's Dictionary of the English language
2. Bilingual: listing words in one language and gives the meaning in another.
e.g. A1-Mawrid English-Arabic Dictionary
3. Multilingual: listing words and their meanings in two or more languages.
e.g. Dictionnaire Trilingue: Arabe-Francais-Anglais
4. Biographical: providing information on the lives of important people. There
are three major types of dictionaries in relation to people including:
• People in general, international in scope.
e.g. Dictionary of International Biography
• People in general but of the same nationality.
e.g. Who's Who in the Arab World
• People belonging to a profession or a certain field of knowledge
e.g. Dictionary of Scientific Biography.
5. There are also dictionaries that list the terms of a subject and their meanings.
e.g. A Dictionary of the Physical Sciences
A Dictionary of the Social Sciences: English-French-Arabic

How to use a dictionary:

When you come across a word that you do not recognize or know the
meaning of, keep a note of it. When you get around to look it up, follow these
steps:
1. Proceed to the letter of the alphabet that your word begins with. For example,
“dog” begins with “d”. Do not forget the possible spellings for trickier words,
such as “gnome” begin with a “g”, or “psychology” begins with a “p”, or
“knock” begins with a “k”, etc.
2. Check for the guidewords. These are located in the upper corner of each page
and give you an indication of how close you are to locating your word. They
speed up the process of going through the pages.
3. Once close, use the second letter of your word to run down the page and
locate your word. For example, if you were looking for the word “futile”, “u”
is the second letter. Perhaps you will see “furrow/futtock” in the upper left
corner of the left page and “futtock plate/gaberlunzie” in the upper right
corner of the right page. Now you know that “futile” is going to be located on
one of these two pages.
4. Scan down the list of entry words moving past “furry” and “fuse” and “fuss”.
Since the example word begins with “fut”, go past all the “fur” and all the

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 “fus” words alphabetically until you reach the “FUT” area of the page. In this
example, move right down through “fut” and “futhark” and this, at last, is
where you will find “futile”.

How to make a most of your findings:

Once you have located the word, there are several useful elements that you
can discover about the word from the dictionary:
• A definition of the word.
• One or more pronunciations. Look for a pronunciation key near the beginning
of the dictionary to help you interpret the written pronunciation. Learn how to
use the stress marks, as these will aid your pronunciation. The stress mark ' is
placed just prior to the syllable where the stress is placed. For example, infuse
\in'fyüz\, which shows the stress in on the second syllabus.
• Capitalization, where relevant. For Example, the word “Deuteronomy”, which
is one of the books of Bible is capitalized.
• Prepositions, such as “in”, “on”, etc. and their use with the word in question.
For example, it shows the proposition you should use with verb “insist” is
“on”.
• Irregular endings for verbs.
• Synonyms and antonyms. You can use these in your writing, or as further
clues towards the word's meaning.
• An etymology, derivation, or history of the word. An etymology is the study
of the history and origin of a particular word and its changes over time. For
example, The Ancient Greek word, hippos, means horse, and
potamus means river. Hence, hippopotamus literally means river horse. A
derivation is the formation of a new word or stem from another word or stem.
It typically occurs by the addition of an affix. For example, the word
“kindness” derived from “kind.” Even if you do not know Latin or Ancient
Greek, you may find that this information helps you to remember or
understand the word.
• Examples of how the word is used. Use these to add context to the meaning of
the word.
• Derived terms and inflections. Inflection is the name for the extra letter or
letters added to nouns, verbs and adjectives in their different grammatical
forms. Nouns are inflected in the plural, verbs are inflected in the various
tenses, and adjectives are inflected in the comparative/superlative. The
inflection of verbs is also called conjugation, and the inflection of nouns,
adjectives and pronouns is also called declension.
• Phrases or idioms associated with the word, and slang usage. An idiom is a
phrase with a meaning commonly understood by the speakers of the language

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 that often has a different meaning from the normal meaning of the words. In
addition, the dictionary may explain whether a word is formal or informal.
• Neighboring words that might be related, such as "futility."
• Spellings in other forms English (American English, British English,
Australian English, etc.)

Other usages of a dictionary:

Many dictionaries come with a collection of other useful information. Some

of the information that you might find in your dictionary includes:
• Standard formal letters and official writing, etc.
• Maps and geographical information.
• Statistics on populations.
• Weights, volume, and measurements.
• Lists of countries, cities, capitals, etc.
• Flags of countries, states, provinces, regions, etc.
• Lists of famous or historical people.
• Lists of facts.

Tips:

• If there are multiple definitions, decide which one matches your source or
context of the word, and notice how the different definitions are related to
one another. In an English dictionary, the most common meaning is usually
listed first when there are multiple meanings. Try using your new word in a
sentence.
• To find the words quickly, you need to practice. You can ask someone to
write down few words and see how long it takes you to find them. Use the
guidewords at the top of each dictionary page.
• Substitute the meaning you find for the word in the sentence. Be sure you
select the most appropriate meaning, not merely the first one you come to.
• Check all abbreviations and symbols in the special sections.

v Thesaurus

A thesaurus is a book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related

concepts, which helps you avoid repetition in your writing and helps you find a word
for an idea you have in mind.

Types of thesauruses:

There are two main kinds of thesauruses: a Roget-type with a categorization

system and an A-to-Z thesaurus.

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How to use a thesaurus:

1. Get to know the features of your thesaurus. A thesaurus may also contain
antonyms, wordlists, and other interesting features. Choose synonyms
carefully, and then you will soon recognize that few words are exactly
identical. Use the thesaurus in conjunction with a good dictionary whenever
selecting a word or phrase unfamiliar to you.
2. An entry word, which is a bolded word that begins a separate entry, in the A-
to-Z listing of thesaurus includes its part of speech. Short definitions
accompany the headwords and provide you with a basic reference point.
Also, they help you to evaluate synonym choices.
3. In a thesaurus, the entry word represents one meaning, and a group of words
can be considered synonymous with it in that sense. The synonyms may have
other meanings as well, but they have at least one meaning in common with
the entry word and the other synonyms in the list. The definition that comes
before the synonym list tells you what meaning is shared by the words in the
list. The numbers that appear after the part of speech is to distinguish the
different meanings of a word.
4. For a printed thesaurus, read the introduction. Become familiar with the
categorization scheme if you have a Roget-type thesaurus. In an A-to-Z
thesaurus, you may also benefit from the definitions in each entry.
5. Look up a word in a Roget-type thesaurus in the index. The index will likely
have the meanings listed under each word. Try not to limit your search to one
category; also look at the categories just before and after the one you first
look up. You might find something you can use by broadening your search.

Tips:

• Use the thesaurus to avoid repeating words within a sentence and avoid
beginning successive sentences or paragraphs with identical words. A
thesaurus groups words that are similar in meaning. Usually, you reach for a
thesaurus when you have a word in mind and you are looking for a word that
is like it (synonym) or one that means the opposite (antonym). Remember
that no two words say the same thing.
• We turn to a thesaurus to find different, more expressive ways of speaking
and writing. However, we must turn to a dictionary to determine the
meaning. Always consider synonyms in their desired context and consult a
dictionary if you have any doubt about the application of a word or phrase. In
order to make an informed selection from words clustered under a thesaurus

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 concept, try to check the word in a dictionary and be sure to substitute the
synonym in an example sentence to see if it sounds right and conveys the
desired meaning.
• An entry may also list antonyms and words that are in direct contrast with the
entry word and synonym group. There may also be “contrasted words” that
are almost the opposite of the entry word but not quite. These words may be
stronger or weaker in meaning and may not mean the exact opposite of the
entry word.

Quiz:

1. Which of the following are the uses of reference books? (Choose all that apply)
a. They summarize, digest, or review the literature on a topic
b. Each is specifically structured to answer certain kinds of questions
c. They provide important background information to help focus your research
questions
d. They point to literature contained in books, journals, and other publications

2. Which statement is NOT characteristic of a subject encyclopedia?

a. Articles are produced by recognized scholars
b. Articles provide an in-depth bibliography
c. They cover a wide range of knowledge at a basic level
d. They outline important concepts, issues, and arguments on a topic

3. If you were interested in gaining an understanding of the issues surrounding

cloning or stem cell research, which two of the following subject encyclopedias
would be most helpful?
a. Encyclopedia of Human Biology
b. Encyclopedia of Nursing
c. Academic American Encyclopedia
d. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics

4. In addition to providing the definition of a word, an etymological dictionary,

like the Oxford English Dictionary, also provides: (Check all that apply)
a. A history of the word
b. The date the word first entered the language
Answer Keys:

c. Examples of how the word has been used through time

4.
3.
2.
1.
a,b,c
a,d
d
a,b,c,d

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This handout is based on the following references:

Cuesta College. Interpreting a Dictionary Entry. N.d. Web. 19 Mar 2013.

Prytherch, Raymond John, and Leonard Montague Harrod. Harrod's Librarians'

Glossary Of Terms Used In Librarianship, Documentation And The Book
Crafts, And Reference Book. n.p.: Aldershot, Hants. ; Brookfield, VT,
U.S.A.: Gower, 1984. Print.

All of the above texts are available in the Writing Center. For more information, please visit our
website at http://www.lavc.edu/writingcenter/

Last Revised: 9/10/14