Biographical Resources Jeanne Metcalf and Lynne Sunday Purpose

Biographical Resources Jeanne Metcalf and Lynne Sunday

Purpose of Biographical Resources The purpose for biographical resources is to look up information on important living and deceased people. Some of these may be brief blurbs about the person where as other sources describe numerous details of their life. This variation within biographical resources is what makes this reference resource so unique and challenging.

The user is able to determine what type of information they are seeking such as a mere date of birth or death for a specific person. Indexes such as the Biography and Genealogy Master Index online can easily access this information correctly and quickly. The Who’s Who in American Politics for example lists the person and their political party, offices held, any honors or awards, and publications they authored. This is broken down by states and then listed in alphabetical order by the person’s name.

Examples of quality resources This resource contains biographical entries of important people in over 1, 000 volumes and editions of important people. It covers close to five million people. Persons who are difficult to locate information on are usually found here. This makes it a reliable starting place for general biographical information. Biography and Genealogy Master Index

Examples of quality resources This source consists of forty chapters, each representing one president. It is then divided into ten headings that include all aspects of a person’s life. This can span from physical description and ancestors to descendents and extramarital affairs. Photos of the presidents are included in this comprehensive source covering from George Washington to Ronald Reagan. Complete Book of Presidents

Examples of quality resources This resource includes personal information, career information, awards, and writings by and about the authors. Since this is a specific type of biographical resource, it contains more comprehensive information about the person you might be researching. Contemporary Authors

Examples of quality resources ◘ ◘ Current Biography Illustrated Dictionary of National Biography and Genealogy Master Index Contemporary Authors These resources are available both in print and online

Online examples of Biographical information sources: Biography. com New biographical resources are reviewed in: ◘ Booklist ◘ Choice ◘ Library Journal ◘ American Reference Annual

Authenticity ◘ Look up someone you know a little about ◘ See if the information in the text seems familiar ◘ Check to see if the source provides you with succinct information or thorough research. ◘ Check the copyright date for more current information since some biographical information changes as more research is discovered. ◘ Double check the data from an online source with different sources. Tips on how to tell if a biographical source is credible and contains what you need

Example Question What trade did Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest practice before the Civil War and what job did he find after the war Before: Blacksmith and Farmer After: Worked on Selma & Memphis Railroad Source: The Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy Jon L. Wakelyn from Greenwood Press. Westpoint, CT. 1977

Bibliography of Biographical Resources