LibGuides: Human Sexuality (PSYCH 2813): Reference Sources

What are Reference Resources?

Reference resources can be general or discipline-specific. Examples include:

encyclopedias
dictionaries
biographical sources
guides
handbooks
manuals

They often contain foundational information, such as:

definitions of terms
verification of factual information
overviews on your topic
background information
research and writing support

They are useful to consult during the early stages of your research and can help you to:

learn the terminology appropriate for your topic
understand your topic's broad context
establish a coherent organizational structure for your work

Source: Lorna Rourke, University of Waterloo Libraries

Reference Sources - Specialized Dictionaries

Dictionary of Psychology (Oxford)
Call Number: ebook online
Clear, concise descriptions of key areas including cognition, sensation and perception, emotion and motivation, learning and skills, language, mental disorder, and research methods.
Dictionary of the Social Sciences
Call Number: ebook online
The Dictionary of the Social Sciences is a comprehensive reference work with over 1700 entries covering topics such as anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, cultural studies, human and cultural geography, and Marxism.
Dictionary of Gender Studies (Oxford)
Call Number: ebook online
It covers terms which have emerged out of Gender Studies, such as cyberfeminism, the double burden, and the male gaze, and gender-focused definitions of more general terms, such as housework, intersectionality, and trolling. It also covers major feminist figures, including Hélène Cixous, bell hooks, and Mary Wollstonecraft, as well as groups and movements from Votes for Women to Reclaim the Night.
The Oxford Companion to the Body
Call Number: ebook online
Oxford Companion to the Body presents a variety of viewpoints, including those of writers, life scientists, historians, philosophers, health professionals, artists, psychologists, anthropologists, theologians, and many others.
It provides concise and readable accounts of the structure and function of all the major systems of the body, and the causes of disorders which affect them. Over 1000 entries, from addiction and Adam's rib to witchcraft and X-rays, and over 350 expert contributors,

More Related Reference Resources

Dictionary of Public Health (ebook online)
Alphabetical listing of almost 5,000 words and phrases used in public health science and practice. It offers definitions, discussion, and an occasional brief commentary on the relevance of each term to people and their health.
Oxford Companion to the Mind (ebook online)
From Oxford Reference Online database.