Encyclopedias attempt to summarize the state of knowledge in a field of inquiry. A good encyclopedia can be a valuable starting point for your research.

Two online reference collections that students often find useful are: Credo Reference, and Gale Virtual Reference Library.

Three good, general sources for biographical information are:

• Biography and Geneaology Master Index: an index to biographical information in hundreds of reference sources, many available only in print.
• Biography Resource Center: full text collection of over 300,000 biographies, from throughout history, and across the globe.
• American National Biography: standard reference work for American biography. Tip: Search "labor" in "realms of renown" to find biographies of labor activists.