Library Guides: COMM170/171 College Communications 2: Background Information

Background Research

Doing background research is a great way to clarify any terminology or concepts you are unsure about. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks are called reference materials.

Reference materials are like using Wikipedia, but better! These trusted sources are created by reliable, credible publishers and researchers on specific topics or disciplines.

Check out the short video on the right (2 mins) to find out how you can access reference materials from the library.

Canadian English Dictionaries & Other Resources

Encyclopedias

Canadian Encyclopedia The Canadian Encyclopedia plays an essential role in providing Canadians and others with accurate, updated information about our people and country.
Credo Reference Full text reference books, including dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks. Covers a wide range of subjects from art and biography to language, literature and technology.
Canadian Points of View Reference Centre Access magazines, newspapers, radio and television news transcripts, primary source documents, reference books and videos on current Canadian issues.

Dictionaries

Canadian Oxford Dictionary The dictionary combines coverage of international English with information on English as it is particularly used in Canada. This edition contains 5,000 new words and senses. It features 2,200 uniquely Canadian words and senses, 350 usage notes, 7,000 idiomatic expressions, 5,500 biographical entries, and over 5,600 place names.
Oxford English Dictionary Full-text guide to the meaning, history and pronunciation of over half a million words.
Glossaries and Dictionaries (Government of Canada) Glossaries and dictionaries for a variety of subject disciplines, including: environment and geography; finance and economics; food and agriculture; health and recreation; industry and business; language and culture; law and justice; science and technology.

Language Learning

Language Navigator (Government of Canada) Language Navigator simultaneously searches all of the writing tools, quizzes and blog posts on the Language Portal of Canada. It gives you access to everything you need to write well in English and French: articles on language difficulties, linguistic recommendations, conjugation tables, translation suggestions and much more.
TERMIUM Plus (Government of Canada) TERMIUM Plus®, one of the largest terminology and linguistic data banks in the world, gives you access to millions of terms in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. You can find terms, abbreviations, definitions and usage examples in a wide range of specialized fields. The data bank is an essential tool for understanding an acronym, checking an official title, finding an equivalent in another language, and much more.