Tertiary sources, such as subject encyclopedias and textbooks, are excellent starting points in your research. Use them to find:
At Collins Library, you can access subject encyclopedias in a variety of formats: print, ebook, or via larger digital collections.
Print encyclopedias are located on the first floor of the library, across from the Learning Commons. An example:
Encyclopedia of European Social History by Online encyclopedias can be accessed via PRIMO, the library's discovery platform. An example:
The Oxford Companion to World War II by Large digital collections of subject encyclopedias can be accessed via several publisher-based platforms:
Fall 2021
BEAM is an acronym intended to help you think about the various ways you might use sources when writing a researched argument. Joseph Bizup, an English professor at Boston University, outlined the framework in a 2008 article. The idea has since been refined and adapted by many others.
