Research Guides: *World History: Background Information

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Reference sources, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias, will be useful for refining your topic and coming up with keywords. Some of entries will contain bibliographies which you can use to locate key books and articles on your topic.

Reference Books & Sources for Background Information

Oxford Reference Online Premium: History
Provides both concise definitions and more in-depth, specialist entries covering time periods, events, and historic individuals. Includes authoritative information on historiography, religious history, military history, social history, economic history, local and family history, and more.

Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
The complete set of histories published by Cambridge University Press. These are authoritative books on a wide variety of historical periods and regions.
Oxford Bibliographies This link opens in a new window
Start your research with this collection of annotated bibliographies. Each provides a brief overview of a topic, followed by a list of recommended books, articles, and other sources. From Afrofuturism (Literary and Critical Theory) to the Zapatista Rebellion in Chiapas (Latin American Studies), get connected to key scholarship and primary sources to support your research.

Examples of Relevant Reference Sources

The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World by Joel Krieger (Editor)
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 9780195117394
Publication Date: 2001
The Oxford Companion to Black British History by David Dabydeen (Editor); John Gilmore (Editor); Cecily Jones (Editor)
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 9780192804396
Publication Date: 2007
Cities of the World by Peter Whitfield
Call Number: + G1030 .W5 2005
ISBN: 0520247256
Publication Date: 2005
International Historical Statistics
"Collection of statistical data from around the world, covering a wide range of socio-economic topics. The collection includes data on the Americas and Europe, but also hard-to-find data on Africa, Asia and Oceania ... This new release updates the last print edition of International Historical Statistics, which was published in 2007 in 3 volumes. It now includes 260 years of rich data, collected between 1750-2010 and available online for the first time. Users will find the ability to conduct statistical analysis across both time and geopolitical boundaries particularly valuable. Data tables can be downloaded as ePDFs and/or Excel files."