Reference Search Tools
Last updated Apr. 24, 2008.
Selected, free searchable versions of standard English-language reference tools.
- Dictionaries
- Merriam-Webster
- InfoPlease Dictionary (Random House Webster's Unabridged?)
- American Heritage Dictionary
- yourDictionary Specialty Dictionaries (for links to more)
- Encyclopedias
-
Britannica (fee based), but articles from Britannica Concise Encyclopedia are free.
Columbia Encyclopedia 6th ed. at Bartleby or Yahoo!
Encarta (Full version for CD owners only)
- Collections
- These include a variety of reference sources
- Bartleby Reference (dozens
of very old and very new sources)
- InfoPlease (almanacs, dictionary,
encyclopedia, biographies)
For more information on some of these tools, see the following articles
- Greg Notess. Ready-Reference Collections: Bartleby and xrefer. ONLINE 25(5): 66-68, Sept.-Oct. 2001.
- Péter Jacsó. Free Web-Based Rready Reference Services. Information Today 19(5): 34- , May 2002.