Types of Reference Books
Adapted from: “Types of Reference Books” BYU Hawaii
Website: http://www.byuh.edu/library/eng112/frame1.htm

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Dictionaries and encyclopedias are some of the most common types of reference works, but there are many kinds. The following is a list of reference books, what they do, and an example for each:

· Dictionaries and Thesauri - give word meanings, spellings, and histories (dictionaries) or synonyms and related words (thesaurus).
Example: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

· Encyclopedias - contain articles on subjects in various fields, usually including helpful bibliographies. They can be either general or specialized.
General example: World Book Encyclopedia
Specialized example: Man, Myth and Magic

· Indexes - tell where information can be found in other sources.
Example: Poetry Index

· Yearbooks - (often called annuals) chronicle the events of a certain year, usually in a particular field.
Example: Current Biography

· Handbooks and Manuals - are often "how to" books, containing instructions and miscellaneous items of information on one subject.
Example: Occupational Outlook Handbook

· Almanacs - are collections of facts, charts and statistics.
Example: World Almanac and Book of Facts

· Biographical Sources - provide short sketches about the lives of important people. Example: Encyclopedia of World Biography

· Directories - list names and addresses of persons, organizations, businesses.
Example: a telephone book

· Atlases and Gazetteers - are visual representations (atlases) or geographical dictionaries (gazetteers) that provide information about places.
Example: Book of the World

· Statistical Sources—give data or numbers that have been compiled to quantify and compare the characteristics of people, places or things
Example: Statistical Abstract of the United States