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SECTION 4:  FINDING OTHER RESOURCES

A.  REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, atlases, directories, handbooks, and manuals.  They can serve several functions in nursing research:

  • provide background information for refining a topic (e.g., encyclopedias, dictionaries).
  • provide contacts with specialists in your area of research (e.g., directories).
  • provide factual information to support your research (e.g., statistics).
  • provide data essential to your research (e.g., drug information).

Various reference materials are available in print at ODU Library or in libraries in your area.  You may identify them by browsing appropriate call number areas (e.g., RT for Nursing) in the reference stacks, or by searching the Subject Headings in the online catalog (e.g., Medicine--Dictionaries, Nursing--Handbooks). 

Many reference resources are available online.  Examples of these resources are:

For links to many reference resources in health and medicine on the Web, use the Subject Guide for "Nursing and Allied Health" from the library's Web site.

Several of our databases offer entries from reference sources.

"Consumer Health Complete" on the EBSCOhost

system provides entries from encyclopedias, evidence based health reports, health report/fact sheets, and reference books. Although it is consumer-oriented, it is a good place to get some background information.

GUIDED SEARCH: Try Consumer Health Complete - EBSCOhost

Next:  Internet Resources for Reference Materials


For further information contact Karen Vaughan (kvaughan@odu.edu)
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