Using Reference Sources Effectively
Many students do not know how to effectively use common reference materials effectively – thereby limiting their ability to get the most of these resources. Often we are in a hurry and don’t take enough time to take advantage of the variety of materials even though they are available on the internet, CD-ROMs as well as in print.
Following are some common reference materials and some helpful hints to make them work more efficiently for you:
1. Dictionary – Everyone knows that a dictionary can help us with the meaning of words as well as the spelling, but often we give up on this voluminous resource because if we can’t spell it we can’t find it – thereby losing an effective means of knowing what it means but also how it is pronounced and how it is commonly used in a sentence. Oftentimes though we used an abridged dictionary that will not include words that are regularly seen in a newspaper, books or magazines. Unabridged dictionaries will include ALL words currently used in a language. Also if you are in a specialty course like biology, psychology or math you should get a technical dictionary.
2. Thesaurus - This resource will provide you with synonyms for common words thereby making it easier to express yourself well when writing. It can also help you with finding words that are the opposite of a word.
3. Encyclopedia – This resource contains multiple articles and references along with illustrations that can be helpful in understanding a subject better. It sometimes has definitions along with an overview.
4. Almanac – This is an annual reference source on a range of subjects that often give you information regarding governments, countries, cities and other subjects that is more current and up to date as it is published each year.
5. Atlas - This resource is a compilation of maps usually of the countries of the world, but there are some that include physical maps to depict mountains, deserts and bodies of water. There are also other specialized ones that feature weather, oceans or the human body depending on the subject you want to study.
More on Using Reference Sources
Using a Library and really using the Internet are critical skills for students and for anything.
One thing that I have learned throughout my student career is that there are easy and effective ways of using reference sources that a vast number of people tend to use in the incorrect manner. This blog gave me some useful advice that I needed when using reference materials, and it really helped me get a better grade on my exams. It gave me the knowledge to actually look a word up in the dictionary and be able to understand what it means and also how it is used in sentence form. It also showed me the proper usage of a thesaurus which game me different words associated with the word I was looking for. It also gave me great advice on how to find these references at. I found out that there were still print copies in the local library that I could use and also that they can be found online as well. They are also available for purchase on DVD. It’s amazing all the information you can find on the classes your taking and the subjects covered just by being able to properly use the reference material available to you. If you are looking for printed copies the best place to look is the local library.