Reference Websites
What follows is a collection of links to materials similar to those you would find on the Reference shelves in the library.
Almanacs
Biographies
Dictionaries
Directories
Encyclopedias
Maps
Search Engines
Statistics
Other Reference Sites
Almanacs
CIA World Factbook
This site provides demographic, economic and political information on all countries.
Information Please
Gateway site linking to information on current event, biographies, almanacs and geography.
Biographies
Biography.Com
A searchable site with information on noteworthy people.
Dictionaries
Acronym Finder
Comprehensive database of initialisms, abbreviations and acronyms.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
Online dictionary with over 90,000 entries.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Gateway site to famous quotations in Bartlett's and other databases.
Dictionary.com
Online search engine accessing numerous dictionaries and thesauruses.
OneLook Dictionaries
Online search engine accessing 870 dictionaries.
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus
Provides access to words appearing in the online dictionary and thesaurus.
Roget's Thesaurus
Provides access to 35,000 synonyms and links to online dictionaries.
Thesaurus.com
Provides access to thousands of synonyms.
Webopedia
Dictionary of computer and internet terms.
YourDictionary.com
Provides access to 1800 general, specialist and language dictionaries.
Directories
Business Directories:
Foundation Center
Provides information about U.S. foundations funding interests.
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
Provides information on thousands of North American manufacturers.
Telephone Directories:
AT&T Directories
Provides contact information for U.S. businesses and individuals.
Interactive Yellow Pages
Directory of businesses searchable by name, location and business classification.
International Telephone Directories
Internet 800 Directory
Directoy of toll-free business numbers.
Switchboard.com
Directory of businesses and individuals searchable by name, phone number and business classification.
Telephone Directories on the Web
Directory of U.S. and international businesses and individuals.
Encyclopedias
Columbia Encyclopedia
51,000 encyclopedia entries.
TechEncyclopedia
Provides information relevant to technology industries and a dictionary of technology terms.
The Catholic Encyclopedia
Provides information related to Catholic interests, action and doctrine.
Maps
University of Texas-Austin World Maps
Provides maps for countries across the world.
Search Engines
NOTE: If you are looking for journal articles for an assignment, try using one of our article databases.
AskJeeves.com
Uses words or phrases to search for information primarily in web sites. Includes a subject index.
Google
Uses words or phrases to search for information primarily in web sites.
Librarians' Index to the Internet
Subject directory of internet resources selected by Librarians and subject specialists for their usefulness.
SearchEdu.com
Provided by Google.com, this search engine specializes in school and education information.
SearchGov.com
Provided by Google.com, this search engine specializes in government and legislative information and provides links to government and independent agencies.
SearchMil.com
Provided by Google.com, this search engine specializes military information.
Statistics
American FactFinder (U.S. Census Bureau)
Provides access to commonly used economic, geographic and demographic data provided by the U.S. government.
FEDSTATS
This gateway to statistics provided by U.S. federal agencies can be browsed by subject or searched for specific topics.
Health Statistics Sites
Links to medical, health and other statistics websites from the Boston University Medical Center Library.
The National Center for Education Statistics
Provides statistical information related to schools and education.
Population Index
Annotated bibliography of world's population literature, including books, journal articles, working papers, etc.
Safety & Health Statistics
Provides access to the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Injuries, Illnesses and Fatalities report and other statistics.
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
This site searches over 100 sources of information on law enforcement and criminal justice.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Provides national and state data on demographics, economics, education and political conditions.
Statistical Resources on the Web
A comprehensive gateway to statistical data organized by subject.
Statistics Canada
Official source for Canadian social and economic statistics and products.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment and other data from the U.S. BLS and other agencies.
U.S. Census Bureau
Provides access to demographic and economic data from the U.S. Census.
World Health Organization (WHO) Statistical Information System
A gateway to sources of data on international health.
Other Reference Sites
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A gateway to institutions offering theses and dissertations online with some in full-text format.
Internet Public Library Reference Center
Provides basic reference information and information organized by subject.
Internet Reference Sources-UVA
A broad subject index of quick reference sources.
Refdesk.com
Provides subject-specific search engines for basic reference information.
Research-It!
Provides search engines leading to basic and advanced reference sources.
