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| Information Literacy Guide | Locating Information | Reference Tools | Resources | Site Outline |
Locating Information: Reference Tools: Dictionary |
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A dictionary is a book of most commonly used words with their spelling and definitions. Dictionaries may also show you how to say or pronounce a word, tell how many syllables a word has, or what part of speech a word is. The most common type of dictionary we use is an abridged dictionary. It includes the words we use most frequently when we talk and read. An unabridged dictionary lists all the words in the English language. It will be the great big dictionary in your library. |
Dictionaries |
How is a dictionary organized?
The words in a dictionary will be in alphabetical order.
Where do I find a dictionary?
Dictionaries may be found on reference shelf at REF 030 or REF 423 or in nonfiction at 030 with general works or in 423 with books on language.
When do I use a dictionary?
Use a dictionary when you need the definition of a word, the spelling of a word, the pronunciation or the syllabication. It may also give you the origin of a word, a sample of how to use the word in a sentence or other information about the word.
How do I use a dictionary?
Unfortunately, you do have to have some idea of how a word is spelled in order to find it in the dictionary. If you can guess at the first few letters you can look it up alphabetically. Online dictionaries often are able to guess what the word is to get you closer.
Guide words
Guide words can help you find the word you want more quickly. The guide word on the left will be the first word on the page and the guide word on the right tells you the last word on the page. This lets you know that any words that are alphabetically between those two guide words will be included on this page.
In the sample page below the guide word on the left is rally and the guide word on the right is ranger. All the words on these two pages will fall between rally and ranger alphabetically.
A general dictionary will include the most common words in the English language.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary / Merriam-Webster Dictionary The American Heritage Dictionary / American Heritage Dictionary Oxford School Dictionary
A specialized dictionary will have words used for a specific topic
ASL Dictionary Online Biographical Dictionary - over 28,000 notable men and women
Webster's Geographical Dictionary
On to the next section... Encyclopedias
| Defining | Locating | Selecting | Organizing | Presenting | Evaluating |
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Last modified: October, 2003 by Steinke, Ague, Feuerhelm, Maxwell, and Warburg