Online dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference sources

Use these sources to find authoritative definitions and summaries – a useful starting point for seminar presentations and projects. They are a reliable alternative to Wikipedia!

General works and collections

These resources allow you to search for definitions and summaries in all subjects.

• Britannica Online - search across the full 32 volumes of Encyclopædia Britannica
• Credo Reference - search across multiple works in all subjects
• Oxford Reference - search across multiple works in all subjects

See also our list of Quick reference sources.

Some general reference and subject-related works or collections

This is a selection of reference works and collections we have purchased. To find other individual titles search the Enterprise catalogue.

• Brill's New Jacoby - fragments of ancient text
• Brill's New Pauly - encyclopedia of the ancient world
• British Pharmacopoeia
• Gale Virtual Reference Library - covers arts and humanities
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Development Control Practice
• International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (Athens login required for off-campus use)
• ISIHighlyCited - a gateway to the most influential scientists and scholars
• MedicinesComplete - up-to-date drug information
• OED - Oxford English dictionary
• Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International - chemical analysis
• Oxford Art Online
• Oxford Bibliographies
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Oxford Language Dictionaries Online - French, German, Italian and Spanish
• Oxford Music Online
• Sketch Engine - corpus query system
• Who's Who & Who Was Who