What is an encyclopedia?
A set of reference books
Example: World Book Encyclopedia
Contains
up-to-date as well as historical facts on famous people, places, and things,
and events in history
Organized alphabetically by volumes
Contains "essay length" articles
How do I use it?
Use to find general information on a topic
Use the index first, usually the last volume
Note the volume and page numbers
Note any "cross references" or related topics
Skim the article for bold print headings and guide words