Reference works, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks, provide background information on a topic and are especially useful at the beginning of a research project. They can help you:
This page highlights reference works in the field of applied psychology. Reference works in general psychology are on a separate page of this guide.
Below is a selection of reference titles for background information about a particular cultural group, religion, and/or nation.
To access these works and more, search for them by title OR browse for them under the "Nation and World," "Religion," and/or "History" categories in Gale Virtual Reference Library.
In addition, Credo Reference is an excellent general source of background information on various subjects, including individual cultural groups.
Researching a topic on international education?
Be sure to check out the reference works on this page of the International and Comparative Education research guide!
The newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, called the DSM-5, is now available.
For a PRINT copy, see the title's GetIt page for locations and call number.
For an ONLINE copy, use the link above.
Review materials are a good way to familiarize yourself with trends and key ideas in current psychology. These are usually annual or monthly cumulations of articles or citations to articles that give you a brief summary of research and findings.
Annual Review of Psychology
1950 to date. Articles review significant developments in the field of psychology, including: biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, cognitive processes, animal learning and behavior, human development, psychopathology, clinical and counseling psychology, social psychology, personality, environmental psychology, community psychology, and more.