Types of Encyclopedia
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsTypes of Encyclopedia
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsTypes of encyclopedias
The term encyclopedia comes from the Latin
word encyclopaedia which in turn derives from
the ancient Greek ἐγκύκλια παιδεία (
enklyklios paideia ). In Greek, the phrase
means “round education” or “circular
knowledge.” It was used to name the set
of books used in the education of children.
Currently, the meaning of “encyclopedia”
is not too different. In the classical sense,
the noun applies to any book or series of books that contains various information arranged
alphabetically. In a more modern area, it is also intended for optical discs, mobile devices
or online information sources.
It should not be confused with dictionaries , although both are sources of knowledge in
alphabetical order. A dictionary only contains meanings of words and terms, while the
encyclopedia has complete articles on various topics.
Encyclopedias usually contain articles on various topics, although encyclopedias on a
particular topic can also be found. One of the most famous and used classical
encyclopedias is the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Classic types of encyclopedia
General encyclopedia
A general encyclopedia covers a wide range of topics in the form of short articles written
by recognized experts. Due to the large number of topics covered, the information
contained in this type of encyclopedia has limited depth. However, even without going
deeper, this information provides sufficient knowledge, keywords and possible sources for
further research.
Historically, general encyclopedias were organized alphabetically and printed in volumes
with the intention of being included in schools. More contemporary versions, such as the
Encyclopedia Britannica , are available online, and are regularly updated by experts.
Encyclopedia of specific topics
If what you are looking for in a topic or
theme is depth beyond what a general
encyclopedia offers, then you should turn
to the specific encyclopedia.
For example, if you want to know about
astronomy in general or its disciplines in
science, you will search in a general
encyclopedia. A specific encyclopedia, on
the other hand, will provide detailed
knowledge about specific topics, such as dark matter or supernovae.
These encyclopedias also include bibliographies that help in finding books and articles
related to the required field of research. Many university libraries have print and online
versions of specific encyclopedias, such as the Cambridge Encyclopedia of Astronomy.
Encyclopedia of countries and regions
This type of encyclopedias began to be used at the end of the 9th century. They are
considered geographical encyclopedias because they cover in detail both countries and
metropolises as well as small cities, towns and islands.
Prominent examples of this type of encyclopedia are Westermanns Lexikon der
Geographie and Meyer's Oceans and Continents.
Encyclopedia for children
They date back to times before the 21st century, however, those considered the best were
printed in the mid-20th century. They contain articles on diverse and essential topics,
explained in a simple way and with plenty of illustrations. They are aimed both at
educating and at being an aid for the training of the little ones.
Examples of children's encyclopedias are: Compton Encyclopedia and Fact Index, Junior
Encyclopedia Britannica, and Oxford Junior Encyclopedia.
Encyclopedic Dictionary
They appear for the first time in the 16th century, but reach their peak between the 17th
and 18th centuries. They are reference works, organized alphabetically, that contain
articles that represent nouns in depth.
A good example of an encyclopedic dictionary is the Larousse Encyclopedic Dictionary.
Types of modern encyclopedia
Electronic encyclopedia
In this digital world, information is available instantly and things change quickly. To evolve
with such a connected society, many encyclopedias have moved their print versions to the
web. The editors and expert contributors of the electronic encyclopedia are usually similar
(or the same) as their printed versions.
Such online sources of knowledge allow both students and teachers to have quick and up-
to-date access. This eliminates the old barriers to knowledge derived from the high price
and great physical weight of traditional encyclopedias.
An example of an electronic encyclopedia is World Book Online , which offers a
subscription-based version. There is also Scholarpedia , which is a free, exclusively
online database.
Open collaboration encyclopedia ( crowdsourcing )
Knowledge crowdsourcing has become a simple way to accumulate information in the
digital age. Online encyclopedias and forums, such as Wikipedia, are the best example of
crowdsourcing . They are popular places for amateurs and experts alike, who want to
share their knowledge with the world.
These are often criticized by experts, stating that they have a questionable range of
credibility. Others, however, believe that the ability to have unlimited input, criticism, and
fact-checking makes them reliable sources.
Some researchers from the University of California Irvine analyzed the articles presented
on Wikipedia during 2010. According to them, featured articles demonstrated high-quality
information 86% of the time.
In contrast, non-featured articles offered a similar level of quality 74% of the time. The
above indicates that the content increased its quality as the article was subjected to
review.
