information resources: print encyclopedias what is an encyclopedia? a work that contains articles on...
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Who writes the articles?
Subject experts.
For example, an article on nuclear power is written by someone who is educated
in chemistry or physics.
Encyclopedia Editors
Also, the articles of an encyclopedia are organized and checked for accuracy by its editors.
accuracy - conformity to the truth; freedom from mistakes.
What are the different types of encyclopedias?
General Encyclopedias
Contains articles that span all general knowledge, including the arts, sciences, people, places, animals, etc.
Subject-Specific Encyclopedias
Contains articles that relate to a single subject, such as African art or Chemistry.
Sample from Volume AAgriculture - science of growing plants for foodAgriculture, Department of - U.S. governmental department responsible for U.S. agriculture.Agrimony - common name for 18 species of woodland plants found in North and South AmericaAgrippa, Marcus - Roman general who worked for the first emperor of Rome, AugustusAguinaldo, Emilio - leader in the fight for Phillippine independenceAhmadabad - major city in western India
How are encyclopedias organized?
Encyclopedias are divided into multiple volumes.
Each volume contains the articles with topics that begin with the letter or letters identified on the volume’s spine.
Index
Most encyclopedia sets have an Indexvolume.
The Index is an alphabetical list of theencyclopedia articles that indicates the volumes and page numbers where the articles begin.
Example Index
Agriculture…vol.1, p.22
Agriculture, Department of…vol. 1, p.26
Agrimony…vol.1, p. 28
Agrippa, Marcus…vol.1, p.28
Aguinaldo, Emilio…vol.1, p.29
Abmadabad…vol.1, p.29
Cross-References
Print encyclopedias have cross-references, which direct you to look for information somewhere else in the encyclopedia set.
ExampleWhen you look up American Revolution in Volume A it states “See Revolutionary War in America.”
Reference
An encyclopedia is known as a Reference text.
A Reference text contains authoritative information.
Authoritative information is information you can reasonably trust.
Quiz
The person who writes an article on earthquakes will have studied:
a. Geologyb. Encyclopedia article writingc. English literature
Quiz
The person who writes an article on earthquakes will have studied:
a. Geologyb. Encyclopedia article writingc. English literature
Quiz
Which article would be in a volume thatstates the letters S-Sn on the spine?
a. Spidersb. Sofia, Bulgariac. Silver
Quiz
Which article would be in a volume thatstates the letters S-Sn on the spine?
a. Spidersb. Sofia, Bulgariac. Silver
Quiz
You look up American League and it states See Baseball. Whichencyclopedia should you look in?a. Volume Ab. Volume Bc. Volume S
Quiz
You look up American League and it states See Baseball. Whichencyclopedia should you look in?a. Volume Ab. Volume Bc. Volume S
Quiz
Who checks to make sure that the information in encyclopedia articles is accurate?a. No one.b. Editors.c. Teachers.
Quiz
Who checks to make sure that the information in encyclopedia articles is accurate?a. No one.b. Editors.c. Teachers.
Quiz
An encyclopedia is known as a reference text. That means it contains what type of information?a. Aggressive b. Arbitrary c. Authoritative