Guides: Writing and Rhetoric: Encyclopedias & More

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world.

SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods
An A-to-Z reference work exploring methods specific to communication and media studies. (SAGE Publications)

Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies by James Watson; Anne Hill
ISBN: 9781628921496
Publication Date: 2015-10-22
The Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies has provided students and the general public alike with a gateway into the study of intercultural communication, public relations and marketing communications since 1984.

Encyclopedia of Rhetoric
The Encyclopedia of Rhetoric is a comprehensive survey of one of the Western world's oldest disciplines. Its 150 entries, written by leading scholars, bring together expertise in classical studies, philosophy, literature, literary theory, cultural studies, speech, and communications in a comprehensive treatment of the art of persuasion.

Citation and Style Guide
Why, when, and how to cite, with detailed information on MLA, Chicago, and APA style.
Little Seagull Handbook
Available in print at the Davis Family Library. Provides help with the specific kinds of writing that college students are assigned to do.
They Say / I Say
Available in print at the Davis Family Library. The authors identify the key rhetorical moves in academic writing, showing students how to frame their arguments in the larger context of what others have said and providing templates to help them make those moves.
Tips and Tools
Extensive advice on academic writing, including how to brainstorm topics, make appropriate stylistic choices, and revise drafts. (Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Data & Statistics
Browse our best resources for data and statistics: research guides, databases, and contact information for experts in the library.

Reference Research Guide
How to find print and electronic encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks in the libraries at Middlebury.