Apart from general basic sources, subject encyclopaedias and dictionaries are the major reference tools of a discipline. At their best, they can provide authoritative summaries of fundamental principles and current research trends. However, with any dynamic subject, such material can go out of date quite quickly and it is a good idea to look at the date of publication, the dates of the references it contains and the general scope of coverage of any reference tool. The Social Science Encyclopaedia . An excellent one-volume work with over 600 entries covering theory, methods, issues and leading figures.
Most essays refer to current secondary literature and further readings.
The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Institutions . A succinct guide to the core concepts used in studying the major political institutions of the advanced industrial societies. Many of the entries have additional readings. The index highlights major entries. A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy .