What is a Reference Source?

Reference sources (or background sources) are used to help find general facts or background information on a topic. They are typically written to have an explanatory purpose rather than a persuasive one, meaning they give a “factual overview or compile a variety of perspectives to synthesize into a concise entry”.^[1]

What are Examples of Reference Sources?

Examples of reference sources you may see are:

• Almanacs
• Atlases
• Bibliographies
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Guides
• Handbooks
• Indexes
• Manuals

Besides being a good place to introduce information about your research topic, you can also find specialized language, definitions, key facts, and lists of references or source suggestions available for further inquiry.

At Western Libraries

Western Libraries has access to references sources across many disciplines and subject areas that you may want to explore. These may be in databases such as Gale Virtual Reference Library, Oxford Reference Online, Sage Reference Online, and more available on our website!

Your professor may not always allow you to cite these sources if they are for general use. But there are specialized reference sources which are appropriate and helpful for your scholarly research! Some instances may include:

• Information about a drug or medicinal subject = you want to find a guide, manual, or handbook (ex. Mosby’s Nursing Drug Reference)
• Information about a literary movement = you want to find an encyclopedia (ex. The Encyclopedia of Romantic Literature)
• Information about census raw data = you want to find a statistic website (ex. Stats Canada)

Some Western Libraries Research Guides even have a section that contains background references for your topic or subject matter.

Resources

• Simon Fraser University Library: Background Reference Sources
• University of Toronto Libraries: What are reference books and reference sources?