The definition of an encyclopedia is defined as a book or an electronic database with general knowledge on a range of topics. The Encyclopedia Britannica is an example of an encyclopedia. A similar work giving information in a particular field of knowledge. An encyclopedia of philosophy.
What is the used of encyclopedia?
Encyclopedias. Encyclopedias attempt to summarise knowledge in relatively short articles . As well as providing basic overviews of topics and answers to simple facts, encyclopedias perform the function of providing context, in other words, identifying where the topic fits in the overall scheme of knowledge.
What is an example of a subject encyclopedia?
In addition to general encyclopedias such as World Book, Encyclopedia Americana , and Encyclopaedia Britannica, there are special encyclopedias which concentrate on specific subject fields. ... Special encyclopedias usually cover an academic discipline such as music, art, history, science, engineering, or education.
What are the four types of encyclopedia?
Encyclopaedias can be approximatelydivided into four types. (1) Dictionaries(2) Comprehensive Encyclopaedia(Vishwakosh) (3) Encyclopaedic(Koshsadrush) literature (4) Indexes . Words are arranged mostly in an alphabetical order. Dictionaries provide to us the meanings of words, synonyms and etymology.
What can I find in an encyclopedia?
Encyclopedias cover many topics and are an excellent source to gather background information. They cover important people, places, events, things, and ideas and often have photographs, drawings, charts, timelines, and maps .
What are the types of encyclopedia?
- General encyclopedias provide overviews on a wide variety of topics.
- Subject encyclopedias contain entries focusing on one field of study.
What is the best encyclopedia?
- Reference.com. ...
- Scholarpedia. ...
- Smithsonian. ...
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. ...
- Who2. ...
- Wikipedia. Find more than 6,000,000 English entries, written and edited by users. ...
- World Book. Traditional encyclopedia in print since 1917. ...
- World Digital Library. Archive of primary materials from cultures around the world.
How do I write an encyclopedia entry?
- A short one, or two-word title, sometimes including relevant dates for people, organizations, or events.
- A brief definition, or description of the subject at the beginning, followed by more detailed examination in the main body.
What does an encyclopedia look like?
Encyclopedias are divided into articles or entries that are often arranged alphabetically by article name and sometimes by thematic categories. Encyclopedia entries are longer and more detailed than those in most dictionaries.
What is encyclopedia and its types?
Encyclopedias are collections of short, factual entries (articles) often written by different contributors who are knowledgeable about the topic. There are two types of encyclopedias — general and subject . ... Subject encyclopedias contain in-depth entries focusing on one field of study.
Who is the father of encyclopedia?
Before there was Wikipedia, there were encyclopedias — and Saturday marks the 300th birthday of the father of one of the world’s most important. Eighteenth-century French philosopher Denis Diderot was the driving force behind the Encyclopédie, one of the first compendiums of human knowledge of its time.
What’s the meaning of encyclopedias?
encyclopaedia. / (ɛnˌsaɪkləʊˈpiːdɪə) / noun. a book, often in many volumes, containing articles on various topics , often arranged in alphabetical order, dealing either with the whole range of human knowledge or with one particular subjecta medical encyclopedia.
What was the first encyclopedia?
Encyclopædia Britannica , the oldest English-language general encyclopaedia. The Encyclopædia Britannica was first published in 1768, when it began to appear in Edinburgh, Scotland.
What are encyclopedias used for in the library?
- A broad overview of your topic.
- Sub-topics and related issues.
- Controversies and criticism.
- Key thinkers or researchers in the area.
- References, recommended articles, and links to further reading.
Can you use an encyclopedia as a source?
Encyclopedias are considered a scholarly source . The content is written by an academic for an academic audience. While entries are reviewed by an editorial board, they are not “peer-reviewed”.
Why is it good to use an encyclopedia?
Encyclopedias give more comprehensive information than library books or any other reference materials. While encyclopedias are useful for personal knowledge growth, they are also useful for professional research. Encyclopedias offer exhaustive information on specific topics for professional purposes.
