Scholarly reference works are useful for the following:
Reference works are good starting points for research, but are rarely cited in research as secondary sources.
Collection of online reference books published by Gale.
Collection of electronic reference books, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America contains 152 original essays (about 8,000-12,000 words each) on specific minority and ethnic groups in the U.S., with an emphasis on culture (religions, holidays, customs, language) in addition to information on historical background and settlement patterns. The Encyclopedia also covers ethnoreligious groups such as Jews, Chaldeans and Amish.