Oliver Wendell Holmes Library

Gaining an Overview

Gaining an overview is an important first step in the research process. Starting with a general reference source helps provide the background a researcher needs to focus and define the topic area.

The place to begin is the Garver Room. Here you will find many general as well as subject-specific reference sources that will assist you in the beginning steps of research.


WHY an overview:

  • gives you a background perspective
  • supplies a summary of the established knowledge within a topic area or field of study
  • often times written or edited by experts in a subject field
  • presents facts, concepts, significant dates, key terms or persons and perhaps controversies involved in your topic area
  • enables you to develop a working thesaurus of terms related to your topic area

WHERE:

  • Print: Reference books (located in the Garver Room) help provide an orientation to your chosen research area. Make sure to use the index and table of contents to navigate through the resources.
  • Electronic: You can access the A to Z subscription database list from the library's home page. The library offers many general and subject specific reference databases. If you need help in how to search, email an Instructional Services Librarian or stop by the Help Desk (located outside the Garver Room) for additional help.

HOW:

Use the indexes at the back of the book or last volume of a multi-volume set to locate specific references to your topic.

EXAMPLES of types of resources for an overview:

type of resource example
Almanac The Holocaust and World War II Almanac
Atlas Atlas of the World
Bibliography Harvard Guide to American History
Chronology Chronology of World Slavery
Dictionary Dictionary of American History
Directory Information sources in Chemistry
Encyclopedia The New Encyclopaedia Britannica (or Britannica online)
Government documents United States Supreme Court Reports
Indexes New York Times Index

Use OWL, the library's online catalog, to find subject specific reference resources. Do not hesitate to ask an Instructional Services Librarian or stop by a Help Desk at anytime during the research process.

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© Phillips Academy 1999
Last Update August 2003