This document provides an overview of how to effectively use reference books and develop reading skills for research. It discusses that reference books are not meant to be read cover-to-cover but can be used to find specific information through their tables of contents, indexes, chapter headings and conclusions. It also outlines common types of reference books like almanacs, atlases, dictionaries and encyclopedias and how to use their specific features to locate relevant facts and data for research.

1. Reference Books & Reading Skills
Athens State University Library

2. Mechanics of Research Material
• NOT intended to be read from cover to cover
• Books
– Table of Contents
– Index
– Chapter headings, concluding paragraphs
• Articles
– Abstract
– Method
– Conclusions

3. Book: Table of Contents
• List of chapters
– Sometimes have sub content
• Scan to identify chapters relevant to what you
want

4. Book: Indexes
• Scan for keywords or topics
– Identify specific pages the keyword is on

5. Book: Bibliography
• Look a what they cited and see if it is relevant
to what you are doing
• Go find and read those materials

6. How to Skim/Scan Research
• Read headings, keywords, diagrams,
illustrations for overview of the chapter
• Read introduction paragraph/sentence
• Scan for keywords
• Read concluding paragraph/sentence

7. Research Reading Skills Links
• How to Read a Book Efficiently for Fast
Research
• University of Cambridge: Reading
• 4 Steps to Reading a Textbook Quickly and
Effectively

8. Reference Sources
• Quick consulting to answer questions (not meant to be
read from cover to cover)
• Obtaining authoritative factual information
• Obtaining overviews or information in a concise form
• Obtaining statistical data
• Pointing to other sources of information
• Guiding to key information in specific subject areas

9. Print Reference
• The ASU Library’s Reference Collection is located on the first floor
on the west side of the building. Reference Books are not available
for check-out.
• The Reference Desk is located immediately to your left as you enter
the ASU Library.
• The Reference Librarians keep a small set of reference books at the
Reference Desk that are often needed to answer patrons’ questions
(mostly about citing sources). This set of books is known as the
Ready Reference collection.

10. Most Common Types of
Reference Books
• Almanac
• Atlas
• Biographical
• Dictionary
• Directory
• Encyclopedia
• Handbook
• Index

11. Almanac
• Contain specific facts, statistical data, tables of
comparative information, and organized lists
of basis reference information related to
people, places, events, etc. Usually cover
broad periods of time,

12. Atlas
• Contain an organized group of physical,
political, road, and/or thematic maps, that can
also contain charts.

13. Biographical Resources
• Contain information about individual people
or locate (index) other works which provide
this type of information. Collected biographies
can cover a given subject, a stated time
period, or other special groups of individuals.