ABSTRACT
Encyclopedias provide an orderly arrangement of knowledge about a specific subject or group of subjects. They often act as compendia of information; specialized and multivolume encyclopedias can provide in-depth information on many topics connected to a specific field. Many encyclopedia articles are written by subject authorities and can provide a basic understanding of a topic especially useful during early stages of research. Ranging from overviews to specialized definitions of concepts, their literature summaries include articles written by scholars in the field and often include brief bibliographies, maps, and illustrations. For the researcher, they can be an important source for an overview of contemporary research on a topic.
