To find encyclopedias in the CLUES catalogue, enter a general subject in the search box below.
Example: Psychology

 

Encyclopedias: Alternatives to Wikipedia

Encyclopedias are useful sources to find background information and key concepts or dates related to your topic. Try searching in a general encyclopedia for a concise overview or a subject specific encyclopedia for a more in-depth article about your topic.

These lists represent a selection of some of the best starting points for doing research. You can find many more encyclopedias, in print or online, by searching the library catalogue.

General & Multidisciplinary Encyclopedias

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

Search many encyclopedias at once in the two following sources:

• GALE VIRTUAL REFERENCE LIBRARY: a full-text collection of major subject encyclopedias, handbooks, and other reference sources covering a broad range of multidisciplinary areas.
• OXFORD REFERENCE ONLINE: A cross-searchable database of full-text reference books, which includes works in various subjects published by Oxford University Press.

• Encyclopaedia Britannica Online: This general encyclopedia is the regularly updated complete online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
• World News Digest: A general reference source, with short entries on a wide variety of topics. Browse by letter, or click on Encyclopedia to search.
• Canadian Encyclopedia Online: an authoritative source of information on all things Canadian, which includes the Youth Encyclopedia of Canada and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada.
• Encyclopedia.com: Information from Oxford University Press and Columbia Encyclopedia.
• Wikipedia: This web-based encyclopedia allows the public to add or update content. Use other encyclopedias or resources to verify information found in Wikipedia.

Arts

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion: Includes "entries on contemporary fashion designers, ethnic and regional costume, fabrics and materials, elements of costume, historic costume, and notable people."
• Oxford Art Online: Provides online access to the entire text of the 34 volume Dictionary of Art, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, The Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms.
• Oxford Music online: Includes The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, The Oxford Companion to Music and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz
• Artcyclopedia: The Artcyclopedia is an index of online museums and image archives.
• Canadian Film Encyclopedia: Includes "over 750 film title, biographical and subject entries, covering some of Canada's foremost historical and modern films and filmmakers".
• Encyclopedia of Music in Canada: Includes "the historical and current aspects of popular, folk, religious, concert and other forms of music."
• Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia: About "Canadian actors, playwrights, directors, producers, designers, theatre organizations and institutions."

Business

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• The Blackwell International Encyclopedia of Communication: Wide-ranging topics related to communications.
• Encyclopedia of Business and Finance: Covering five general areas: finance and banking; accounting; marketing; management; and information systems.
• Encyclopedia of Knowledge Management: Provides a broad basis for understanding the issues, technologies, theories of knowledge management.
• Encyclopedia of major marketing campaigns. Volume 2: 474 marketing campaigns are discussed in this encyclopedia.
• Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy (second edition): More than 4000 references and nearly 300 entries.

Humanities

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• The Blackwell International Encyclopedia of Communication: Wide-ranging topics related to communications.
• Encyclopaedia Judaica : Provides an exhaustive and organized overview of Jewish life and knowledge from the Second Temple period to the contemporary State of Israel.
• Encyclopedia of Philosophy: 10 volume comprehensive work.
• Encyclopedia of Religion: This 15 volume work "Presents a cross-cultural approach that emphasizes religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture."
• Encyclopedia of Rhetoric: 150 articles covering communication and persuasion.
• The Encyclopedia of Semiotics: A comprehensive reference guide to concepts in semiotics, sign theory, and cultural studies.
• Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment: "Covering the 'long' Enlightenment, from the rise of Descartes' disciples in 1670 to the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1815."
• Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450: A "comprehensive resource on the subject of colonialism and expansion."
• Literature Online: From the LION home page, click on criticism & reference, then reference to access several reference works about literature.
• Literature Resource Center: Contains Contemporary Authors (CA), Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB), and the Encyclopedia of Literature.
• New encyclopedia of Africa: Addresses the history of African cultures.
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation: Includes a "range of religious and social changes that altered the face of Europe in the sixteenth century."
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History: "Over 650 biographies of influential women and over 600 topical articles."
• The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: Online version of the print equivalent published from 1907 to 1921.
• Catholic Encyclopedia Online: Information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, action and doctrine.
• The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: "Detailed and scholarly" articles.
• Encyclopedia Mythica: Mythology, folklore, magic etc. Includes illustrations, pronunciation keys, and genealogical information.
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Maintained by philosophy professors at Stanford University.

Social Sciences

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology: Authoritative academic source; many lengthy articles with useful reference lists.
• Child Development: "Covers human development from conception through adolescence."
• Encyclopedia of Anthropology: "1000 entries on topics from all the major subfields of anthropology."
• Encyclopedia of Distance Learning: Covers topics such as workforce training, accessing education, and the digital divide.
• Encyclopedia of Political Economy: Includes the "main principles, theories, concepts, problems, institutions, schools of thought, policies, and figures associated with political economy."
• Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Provides a "comparative perspective on issues involving conceptions of gender, gender differences, gender roles, relationships between the genders, and sexuality."
• Encyclopedia of Social Psychology: Includes more than 600 entries explaining key concepts in the field.
• The Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology: 650 articles covering "the entire spectrum of psychology."
• International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences: A wide-ranging and auhtoritative source, which includes 4,000 articles covering all areas of the social sciences.
• International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences: Nearly 3,000 articles covering a variety of topics in the social sciences.
• The Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World: "Articles include detailed discussions of critical historical developments and events, concepts, international law, and organizations."
• gltbq: Encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer culture.
• Cyberlaw Encylopedia
• Cornell Legal Research Encyclopedia: Created by the law librarians at the Cornell Law Library, this is a "compilation of United States and International legal resources."

Engineering

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety: Produced by the International Labour Organization, this work includes occupational health and safety issues.
• Encyclopedia of RF and Microwave Engineering: Features such key topics as Electromagnetics, Wave Propagation, RF Circuits, RF Receivers, Microwave Antennas, and more.
• Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology: Brings together facts on the properties, manufacturing, and uses of chemicals and materials, processes, and engineering principles.
• Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry: Includes topics such as inorganic and organic chemicals, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, metals and alloys, biotechnology and biotechnological products, food chemistry, and more.
• Wiley Encyclopedia of Computer Science and Engineering: Comprehensive coverage of developments in the field of computer science in articles written by subject specialists.
• How Stuff Works: "how common appliances, machines and technologies work".

Science & Medicine

- Access is Restricted to Concordia Users

• Encyclopedia of Applied Physics: Coverage of all technically pertinent areas of modern-day physics. Originally appeared in print in 23 volumes plus 2 update volumes.
• Encyclopedia of Ecology: 530 entries forming "a comprehensive picture of the science of ecology and its major subdisciplines."
• Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition: Includes clinical and exercise related nutrition.
• Encyclopedia of Inorganic Chemistry: Includes such topics as Bioinorganic Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Methods, Organometallic Chemistry, Solid State Chemistry, Main Group Elements, and Transition Metals.
• Encyclopedia of Life Science: 3,000 peer-reviewed articles concentrating primarily on the molecular and cellular life sciences.
• Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine: Covers all aspects of respiratory medicine from the relevant molecular biology to the treatment of diseases that affect the respiratory system.
• Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences: With approximately 3,000 referenced articles, it provides extensive coverage of statistical theory, methods, and applications.
• Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology: Brings together facts on the properties, manufacturing, and uses of chemicals and materials, processes, and engineering principles.
• Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry: Includes topics such as inorganic and organic chemicals, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, metals and alloys, biotechnology and biotechnological products, food chemistry, and more.
• Eric Weisstein's World of Science: astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and scientific biography.
• ADAM Medical Encyclopedia