Last Minute Research  

Encyclopedias are useful:

• to help you choose a paper topic.
• to narrow down a paper topic that's too broad.
• to get quick information on a topic.

Wikipedia: good or bad?

Each scholarly encyclopedia article (or entry) is signed by the author. Authors are scholars and specialists in their fields. Wikipedia articles are group efforts and each entry is constantly changed. For any article, click on the history tab at the top to see all changes that have been made.

On the other hand, Wikipedia is a good way to:

• general information on a topic.
• linking to sources of interest, sometimes including scholarly books and articles.

This guide lists a selection of online sources that you can use to complete research projects when you don't have a lot of time.

Make sure that when you quote, paraphrase, or even use an idea from an author that you include him or her in your list of references/bibliography (see compiling bibliographies for research papers).

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Britannica Online

Other Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

• Email us at reference@rice.edu or use our webmail form.
  
• Call us at (713) 348 5113 or (713) 348 5119.
• Visit us at the Reference Desk during regular hours .
  

• Subject specific questions can be answered by contacting the subject specialists .

• Podcasts - Fondren has created informative and entertaining podcasts