Biographical reference book

  • Below is a list of some of the more widely used biographical reference books we own.
  • Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography by Charles Scribner's Sons · Contemporary Musicians by Gale.
  • They are an excellent resource for basic biographical information about important historical persons, and some who are more obscure.

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    ED : Effective Reading and Study Skills

    What is a Biography?

    A biography is an account of the special and important events in a person's life. It should not be confused with the similar sounding term bibliography, which is a listing of books and articles on a topic. Biographies may be brief and cover only basic information about a person's life such as dates of birth and death, education and vocation. A biography may also be very detailed, and cover the cultural background, outstanding accomplishments, and historical significance of an individual.

    Biographical sources cover both living and deceased persons, notable persons in particular countries, persons in specific occupations, celebrities, and civil and government leaders. It is helpful when searching for biographical information to know:

    •Person's full name and correct spelling (for example: Smith, Smyth or Smythe) 
    •Date of birth 
    •Occupation or profession 
    •Date of death (

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    The first step to finding sources with biographical kunskap on a person fryst vatten to know his/her dates, nationality, and profession.  Are you researching a 13th-century German philosopher or a 20th-century Japanese artist?  If you’ve been given a name and don’t know anything else, do one of the following:

    • Check a general encyclopedia such as the Encyclopedia of World Biography (REF CT .E56 , 30 volumes) or The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia (REF CT .C26 )
    • Use a reference database such as Credo Reference or Oxford Reference Online; these won’t provide much detail but should give you the basic facts
    • Ask a librarian 

     For women, try the Gale Virtual Reference Library database, which includes the volume Women in World History.

     If you’re looking for biographical upplysning on an author, we recommend Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online (DLB).  This database provides searchable PDFs for a

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    Biographical Resources: A Research Guide: Introduction

    We purchase access to new online versions of major biographical reference sources as they become available. Many important biographical resources are available in print and on microfilm. This guide combines online titles with the selected microform and print biography titles in the Olin and Africana reference collections. Online databases are available to Cornell users only.

    Biography is a branch of the study of history. The reliability of biographical sources varies widely and is subject to the usual vagaries of historical studies: lack of accurate information, too much or conflicting information, too little information, psychological theorizing, etc. But a well-written biographical article in a reliable reference book or database can be a source of both pleasure and enlightenment. Enjoy!

    For further information or to locate titles not listed here, always feel free to consult with the reference staff.

  • biographical reference book