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UCOLL 300 - Unit II - Reference Citations

The word "reference" can be confusing.  Make sure you understand the different ways this word is used.  The Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language provides a number of definitions of "reference."  Let's look at two of the most significant for this course, UColl 300.

As a noun - Referring to or mentioning someone or something, either directly or indirectly, and often in the form of an ALLUSION or a QUOTATION.

In Unit II, we use the word reference in this sense: As an adjective (reference books or reference tools)  - “Distinct genres of reference book, such as the atlas for maps, the DICTIONARY for words, the directory for a variety of general or specific information (such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers), the encyclopedia for facts and opinions…” Because reference tools are a good starting place before beginning your "real" research, we sometimes refer to them as "pre-search tools."

Reference tools such as encyclopedias and dictionaries are an important component of research.  They can often help you understand more complex material, break down multi-faceted topics, and give you a good idea of what information is accepted “true” by scholars.

Generally when citing a reference source, you will need to include:

E. Adams, Adjua Barbara. "Apollo Theatre." Encyclopedia of Black Studies. Ed. . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2004. 102-03. SAGE Reference Online. Web. 20 Jun. 2012.