LibGuides: Controversial Issues: Reference Shelf

General Dictionaries

Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus
Trustworthy dictionary with word definitions that includes medical terminology, Word of the Day, and Browse for words by topic and more features.
OneLook Dictionaries
A dictionary search engine that includes searches for word definitions in nearly 2000 dictionaries.

Subject/Specialized Dictionaries

Biography - Gale in Context
Look up profiles and articles on famous and influential people from all areas and walks of life. Resource Subscription is shared with OSU-Tulsa

Oxford English Dictionary
The Mother of all English dictionaries. Search for the
etmyology (history & development) of a word, complete
with information about its first appearance in the English language.

Reference Shelf - Online

It's usually helpful to get a basic overview of a topic before you try searching for more scholarly or academic resources. Use these online reference resources, which contain general information on many different topics, to gain a better foundational understanding of your topic.

Gale Virtual Reference Library
Search for information in online reference books about poetry, short stories, and drama. GVRL also includes the Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health.

Oxford Reference Online Premium - Oxford
Find facts, figures, quotations, definitions, and translations from 500+ reference books with scholarly articles published by Oxford. The upgraded database now Includes Oxford Reference Literature, Western Civilization, and Quick Reference.
Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia - Ebscohost
Over 25,000 encyclopedic entries, searchable by subject or keywords. (EBSCO)

Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court
This is an accessible and authoritative guide, essential for judges, lawyers, academics, journalists, and anyone interested in the impact of the Supreme Court's decisions on American society
Oxford Companion to World War II
This resource is a unique world-wide coverage of the subject. Every aspect of the war is covered including, detailed surveys of major countries; politics and grand strategy; domestic and economic issues; resistance and intelligence services; campaigns, battles, and military operations; warfare and weapons; wartime leaders and influential people; and slogans and phrases.