What is an encyclopedia?

• “ A book or set of books containing articles on various topics, usually in alphabetical arrangement, covering all branches of knowledge or, less commonly, all aspects of one subjects.”- www.dictionary.com

When would you use an encyclopedia?

When you need general background information on a topic!

An encyclopedia will NOT include as much information as a textbook.It is great place to start your search. Try it instead of Google!

World Book Encyclopedia

• “World Book is a tool for learning- a general encyclopedia that tells about people, places, things, events and ideas. It provides accurate information that is easy to find and easy to understand.”

• -World Book, Volume 1

Facts about World Book Encyclopedia

• First published in 1917• Revised version published every year• Contains 22 volumes currently• Designed for students in elementary

school through high school to use• Over 3,800 people are involved with

writing and checking the articles• Topics are arranged alphabetically

How to use the World Book Encyclopedia

• Think about the question you want to find an answer to

• Identify key words associated with topic• Rank words in order of importance• Choose the appropriate volume and

begin your search

A B C- Ci-D E F G H I J- K L M MmN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Ci Cx MiMz

Index

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Which volume would you use to find information about Thanksgiving?

Volume 22

A B C- Ci-D E F G H I J- K L M-MmN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Ci Cx Mi Mz

Index

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Which volume would you use to find information about new governor Andrew Cuomo?

Volume 4

Alphabetical Order Review

Which comes first?•Lions•Bears•Tigers

Which comes first? •Library of Congress•Library•Library Journal

Which comes first?•Rocky Mountains•Rock•Rockefeller, John•Rock video•Rock climbing

Alphabetical Order Review

Which comes first?•Bears•Lions•Tigers

Which comes first? •Library •Library Journal•Library of Congress

Which comes first?•Rock•Rock climbing•Rock video•Rockefeller, John•Rocky Mountains

Important characteristics of the encyclopedia

• Guide words: located at the top corners of a set of pages, these words are the titles of the first and last article on the pages. They help you find the exact page where your topic is located (think: dictionary)

• Cross-references: sometimes an article will direct you towards more information in another article (‘see XYZ’ or ‘see also XYZ’)

• Article headings: longer articles are divided into sections and subsections, so you can focus on specific information instead of the whole article

Characteristics of a World Book Article

• Text• Visual aides (photos, drawings, paintings, maps,

diagrams, charts and graphs)

• List of related articles• Suggestions for further reading• Author

Name the following:

Guide wordsArticle headingsSubheadingsAuthorSuggested readings