Welcome to your guide to Quick Reference resources.
The Library provides you a wide range access to books, journals, newspapers, audio-visual content, and other specialist materials for your studies.
This guide looks at factual world of quick reference in more detail...
Explore subject resources
Quick Reference covers a range of different types of information resource, which all have a common purpose.
The information within a Quick Reference source will be concise and factual, with no opinion or discussion. It is designed to be consulted, rather than read through and will provide brief, fact-based answers to simple questions.
Quick reference covers a wide range of different resource types including:
- Almanacs and yearbooks
- Bibliographies and biographies
- Dictionaries, thesauri & encyclopaedias
- Directories
- Government publications
- Handbooks & manuals
- Indexes & abstracts
- Maps & atlases
It is important to use the right reference resource for your needs. If in doubt, ask your librarian!
Use quick reference sources to:
- Carry out initial research into a subject, discover background information and context.
- Find factual answers to questions around dates, events, biographies, technical data and definitions.
- Research the activities, financials and personnel of companies and organisations.
- Search for professional, legal or government policy and procedures.
Quick Reference Collections available from the Library include:
- Credo Reference Academic Core Entries from encyclopaedias, handbooks and other sources, covering 80 disciplines. Full-text, video, animation, images/photographs, maps.
- Oxford Reference Online Online access to OUP encyclopaedias, dictionaries and handbooks covering 25 subject areas.
- OED Oxford English Dictionary Online Widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language: word meanings, etymology and pronunciation.
The video below demonstrates the basic search using Credo.
Don’t forget –many quick reference resources are subject-specific. Check out your subject guide for details.
Search the Library collections
For books, ebooks, journals, articles and much more...
Search Smarter
Resources to help you make the most of your searching.
Library Pathway
What you need to know about the library, for your first term and beyond!
Research & Finding Information
Step by step guide to finding and evaluating information
Referencing
Learn why and how to reference and cite correctly
Explore outside your box
Don't be limited to the resources recommended for your subject area - think creatively!
Listen to our librarians discuss the benefits of serendipity
