How to Use Oxford Reference Online

Oxford Reference Online (ORO) is a multi-subject collection of reference resources like:

• Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries
• Handbooks
• Subject Companions

This online database can be used in multiple ways:

• Oxford Quick Reference: Quickly check a fact, or find out key information about a concept, person, or term
• Oxford Reference Library: Research a term, concept, or person in-depth with articles and essays

Who can access ORO?
Current students, faculty, and staff of Hope International University

How do I access ORO?
1. Go to the HIU Library Home Page at http://library.hiu.edu
2. Click the Research Databases tab above the search box in the middle of the screen
3. From the Select a Subject Area drop down list, choose Reference Resources
4. From the list of databases displayed, choose Oxford Reference Online

How do I search ORO?

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1. Search across all Oxford Reference titles for your topic using the Search Box
2. Search within your Subject specialization here, under the search box, or ...
3. Search within your Subject specialization here, under Subject
4. Search by Reference Type like timelines, quotations, overviews, etc.


Is there anything specific I need to know to complete a successful search?

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1. See how many entries your search retrieved, what search terms were found, and search term suggestions
2. See your search term at the Entry level or at Book level
3. IMPORTANT: You do not have access to those items with a padlock icon
4. IMPORTANT: To search for just those items to which you have access, check the "Show full text results only" check box in the top left corner of the Search Results screen

I got a lot of results. How can I refine my search?

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1. Search within the results list for something more specific
2. Narrow your results using the facets in the left sidebar. Narrow by Reference Type, Subject, Content Set, or Illustrations
3. Subjects with a "+" sign can be expanded for more topic specificity

Watch this video tutorial for more!

(See below video for content specific time markers)

Skip to:
1 min, 40 sec: Searching Oxford Reference
3 min, 50 sec: Overview Pages
5 min: Save, Print, Cite, and Share
6 min: Timelines
7 min, 25 sec: Advanced Search
8 min, 05 sec: My Content, My Searches, My Work


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Terri Bogan is Reference & Instruction Librarian at Hope International University. She is passionate about helping students navigate the ever expanding world of information. She specializes in the area of information literacy and instructional design.