Collins Memorial Library: History 344: Resistance, Rebellion & Revolution in China, 1800-present: Home

Getting Started: Subject Encyclopedias

Subject encyclopedias are important research and discovery tools to use during the very beginning stages of the research process. Consulting one or more subject encyclopedias will help you to:

Fill in the gaps in your knowledge regarding the person, place, event or ideas you are researching
Learn who the major scholars are and what the main research controversies have been for your topic
Identify books and journal articles that would be good for you to consult next

In other words, entries in subject encyclopedias are usually not appropriate to cite as sources in your research paper, but they will help you identify and understand those scholarly books and peer-reviewed journal articles that you ultimately will use and cite in your paper.

Many subject encyclopedias now are available online. If you are accessing them from off-campus you must use the library links provided on this page, at which point you will be prompted to enter your Puget Sound user name and password. Print copies of encyclopedias are located in the library's reference section on the first floor; they must be used in the library and cannot be checked out.

Online Subject Encyclopedia Collections

Each of these collections contains dozens of specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks.

Gale eBooks
Provides full text online access to Gale electronic books, including encyclopedias and other reference resources.
Oxford Reference
Contains the complete texts of many Oxford companions, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference titles in a fully indexed, cross-searchable database. Included in addition to articles are images, maps, timelines, bibliographies, photographs and much more.
SAGE Knowledge
The social sciences platform for SAGE and CQ Press books, reference materials and other content.

Subject Encyclopedias for Chinese History

Encyclopedia of Modern China by David Pong
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2009
Covers the people, politics, economics, history, religion, philosophy, traditions, art, and literature of Chinese civilization from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the present day.
Berkshire Encyclopedia of China by Mary Bagg (Editor)
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2008
Provides insight into Chinese history and culture today in nearly a thousand articles that include everything from Adoption and Banking to Wound Literature and the Zhou Dynasty
Encyclopedia of Modern Asia by David Levinson; Karen Christensen
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2002
The Encyclopedia's comparative, cross-cultural approach examines the similarities and differences among Asian nations and religions. The work focuses on Asia in the modern world and contemporary issues are given full and authoritative treatment.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture by Edward L. Davis (Editor)
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access.
ISBN: 0203645065
Publication Date: 2004
Explore Chinese popular culture since 1980 in entries on a diverse range of subjects: from prisons to rock groups, underground Christian churches to TV talk shows and radio hotlines, alongside entries on lotteries, gay cinema, political jokes, sex shops, theme parks, "New Authoritarians" and "Little Emperors."
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History by Bonnie G. Smith (Editor)
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2008
Includes an extensive overview of the history of women in China, as well as biographical entries on prominent Chinese women.
Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations by James Minahan (editor)
Call Number: D860 .M56 2002, v. 1-4, Print Reference
Publication Date: 2002
Provides entries on several ethnic minorities in modern China, including the Tibetans and Uighurs.

Art Online (Oxford)
Covers all aspects of Western and non-Western visual art. Includes the full text of 'The Dictionary of Art,' and gives users access to subject entries, biographies, bibliographic citations, image links and images contained within Grove Art Online, as well as entries and images from the 'Oxford Companion to Western Art,' the 'Concise Dictionary of Art Terms,' and 'Oxford’s Encyclopedia of Aesthetics.' Thematic timelines and learning resources are also included.

Access limited to 3 simultaneous users.