Reference Tools

Which one should I use????

Imagine that you are planning a trip to Hawaii this summer and need some

information to help you plan…

Types of Reference ToolsThere are different reference resources you can use to find different information to help you plan your trip to Hawaii:

Reference Section

Most libraries a have special collection of books that are written to help you quickly find information.

Where is the reference section located in our library?

DictionaryA dictionary provides information about words. spelling pronunciation word meaning part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.)

Entry words are in alphabetical order. Guide words are the words at the top of every page. They tell you the first and last word on that page.

     

DictionaryUse if you wonder:

“Where did this word come from?”

“Is this word a noun or an adjective?”

“What does this word mean?”

“How do I pronounce this word?”

       

Thesaurus Gives you words with similar or related

meanings

Synonyms (words with almost the same meaning)

Antonyms (opposites)

Guide words

Sometimes provide sentence examples

Useful when writing (to make it more interesting)

       

ThesaurusUse if you wonder:

“What is another word that means the same things as…”

EncyclopediaUsually a set of books

Organized alphabetically in volumes

Specific topic

Contain general information about famous people, places and things.

EncyclopediaUse if you wonder:

“Where can I get an overview of World War II?

“What is a brief history of man’s journey into space?”

“Who was Neil Armstrong?”

AlmanacLots of quick facts and information Very current Published each year

Not alphabetical Use index to find page number

AlmanacUse if you wonder:

“What is the tallest…longest…oldest…?”

“What is the average temperature of this city in May?”

“Where can I see a graph of the cities with the most air pollution?”

Answer the following questions to review what

you learned about reference tools and how these tools could help you learn more about

Hawaii before your trip!

a. Almanac

b. Encyclopedia

c. Thesaurus

d. Dictionary

You know that you will say the word “beautiful” a lot on your trip. Where could you look to find a different word to use instead that means the same as “beautiful”?

Correct Answer:

c. – Thesaurus

Where could you look to find the average temperature of Maui, Hawaii in July 2011?

a. Atlas

b. Encyclopedia

c. Dictionary

d. Almanac

Correct Answer:

d. – Almanac

To find which islands are next to Maui you would use…

a. Almanac

b. Atlas

c. Thesaurus

d. Encyclopedia

Correct Answer:

b. – Atlas

Where would you look to find the basic history of Hawaii and how it became a state?

a. Dictionary

b. Almanac

c. Encyclopedia

d. Thesaurus

Correct Answer:

c. - Encyclopedia

To found out how to pronounce

the word “luau” I would use…

a. Almanac

b. Dictionary

c. Thesaurus

d. Atlas

Correct Answer:

b. - Dictionary

Summing up…Now you know how to find information in reference books to plan for your vacation.

With this knowledge, you can plan a trip anywhere in the world.

Reading really can take you on an unforgettable journey!

REMEMBER!

Choose the best reference resource to find information

quickly!