About Reference Works and Background Information
"The purpose of an encyclopedia is to summarize and codify knowledge in a given field. This is in contrast to a handbook, which offers essays on cutting-edge research in a field, or a dictionary, which provides short, to-the-point definitions of key concepts in a field."
Source: Sica, A. (2001). Encyclopedias, Handbooks, and Dictionaries. In N.J. Smelser & P.B. Baltes (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B0-08-043076-7/00039-5. As cited in American Library Association. (2011). ALA Guide to Sociology & Psychology Reference. Chicago: Author.
Use reference materials to find background information. Reference books can help you:
- Explore a topic: find out what has been said about this subject, trends, issues, etc.
- Identify and define unfamiliar terms or people in your reading
- Find references to other books and articles on the subject
- Find specific keywords to use in online searches
Reference Works
Organizational Studies & Behavior
International Encyclopedia of Organization Studies by ISBN: 1412915155Publication Date: 2007-08-28Definitive description of the field, spanning individual, organizational, societal, and cultural perspective in a cross-disciplinary manner. It covers a range of important topics from the unique perspective of organization studies with extensive international representation. Written by a team of international contributors from the fields of management, psychology, sociology, communications, education, political science, public administration, anthropology, law, and other related areas.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology by ISBN: 9781483386898Publication Date: 2017Provides an overview of the cross-disciplinary field of industrial and organizational psychology for students, researchers, and professionals in the areas of psychology, business, management, and human resources.
APA Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology by ISBN: 9781433807275Publication Date: 2011Offering an in-depth examination of the types of behavioural and structural issues that I/O psychologists study every day, this title covers everything from how problems are diagnosed to how interventions are implemented and evaluated.
Search for additional handbooks on organizational behavior in the Library Catalog with the subject classification Organizational behavior Handbooks, manuals, etc
General Social Sciences
International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences (2nd edition) by ISBN: 9780080970875Publication Date: 2015
Economics
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics by ISBN: 9780333786765Publication Date: 2008-05-11The award-winning The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, 2nd edition is now available as a dynamic online resource. Consisting of over 1,900 articles written by leading figures in the field including Nobel prize winners, this is the definitive scholarly reference work for a new generation of economists.
Psychology
Handbook of Psychology, 2nd edition by Publication Date: 2012Includes 12 topical volumes. See Volume 12: Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Sociology
Reference Databases
Search across multiple subject specific encyclopedias and handbooks:
- U-M Library Articles Search This link opens in a new windowSearch across many reference books at once. Articles Search is a gateway to discovering a wide range of the library's resources.
***Refine search by format to "Reference"*** - SAGE Knowledge This link opens in a new windowA searchable collection of e-books, reference books and documentary videos in the social sciences.
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new windowProvides online access to over 1,500 reference works from Gale, Macmillan, and other publishers.
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowOver 400 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press.
Other Books
- U-M Library Catalog SearchCatalog Search is the definitive place for finding materials held by the U-M Library. Catalog Search results include everything in our physical collection (books, audio, video, maps, musical scores, archival materials, and more), and materials available online such as e-books, streaming audio and video, and online journals.