Gender Studies: Encyclopedias and other Reference Resources

Use the search box above to enter terms (child care, Ralph Nader, housing, etc.) into Reference Universe to find which reference books have information about your topic. Click on the title of a book in the list and you will go to the library catalog for the call number, location, and to find out whether it's checked in. If the book is online and you are on a campus computer or using the VPN you will have access to it.

Reference Universe is also available through the library's Article Databases and More page.

Before you begin writing a paper it's helpful to have a good overview of your topic. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other reference material can help you.  If a topic looks interesting, but you don't know enough about it, or you want a source of information other than your textbook, academic reference sources are what you need.  You'll learn about the most important aspects of your topic, the important researchers, and many of these sources will list citations to key articles, books and book chapters.

I've listed some related reference material below, and the box to the left tells you how to find other reference sources using Reference Universe.  You can also ask a librarian about appropriate reference resources.  Contact me or use Get Help

Encyclopedia of the Consumer Movement
Check library catalog for location information, HC79.C63 E53 1997
Includes articles on "movement-related institutions, leaders, activities, and impacts, with particular attention to the laws and regulations that purport to protect consumers….about one-fifth of the encyclopedia's entries treat consumer movements in nations or regions outside the United States." Entries include related articles and readings.

The Encyclopedia of Housing
Check library catalog for location information, HD7287 .E53 1998
"…includes a wealth of information and analyses covering key concepts in the field of housing, many of which apply without regard to national context." Many articles include "Further Reading" lists.

The Elgar Companion to Consumer Research and Economic Psychology
Check library catalog for location information, HF5415.32.E48 1999
Covers a wide range of subjects relevant to the two fields of study. Articles provide a brief overview of the subject and include bibliographies. Use the index to locate related subjects and subjects covered within articles.

Encyclopedia of Community: From the Village to the Virtual World
Check library catalog for location information, HM756 .E53 2003
Four volumes. Two to three page articles with suggestions for further reading. Index in volume 4. Appendix 1 lists related books, Web sites, journals, and organizations under 21 broad subject areas

The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Economics
Check library catalog for location information, HB61 E55 1994
Articles on "the most important subjects in economics and related fields," includes lists of related articles and short bibliographies.

Demography: Analysis and Synthesis
Check library catalog for location information, HB871 C37513 2006
A four-volume handbook of over 140 chapters. Topics include: population dynamics and the relationship between population growth and structure, the determinants of fertility, the determinants of mortality, the determinants of migration, historical and geographical determinants of population, the effects of population on health, economics, culture, and the environment, population policies, data collection methods, and teaching about population studies.