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Korean Studies: Starting Your Research

A guide to resources for Korean Studies

Reference Works can help you discover a research topic, help you quickly learn basic facts and fundamental information that is known about it, and familiarize yourself with the language scholars use to discuss it. Reference Works include encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and "companions." These resources are meant to be consulted rather than read cover to cover. 

Using AI to Brainstorm can help you get ideas for research, it can also help you discover what topics professional scholars have focused on in their own studies. This can serve as inspiration for your own topic.

Reference Works

History

Conflict in Korea
Korean War Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia of the Korean War (ABC-CLIO)

Publication Date: 2000

Physical Copy

Historical Dictionary Korean War
DPRK Dictionary
ROK Dictionary

Historical dictionary of the Republic of Korea by James Hoare 

Publication Date: (3rd ed.) 2015

Physical Copy

Korean War

Korean War: An Encyclopedia (Garland Publishing)

Publication Date: 1995

Physical Copy

Culture

Korean Culture
Clothing History
Art Dictionary
Historical & Cultural
Daily Life
Cover Art

Literature

Korean Literature
East Asian Literature

Language

Linguistics Handbook
Encyclopedia of Linguistics

Encyclopedia of Linguistics by Fitzroy Dearborn

Publication Date: 2005

E-book & physical copy

Other

Business
An encyclopedia of Korean Buddhism

An encyclopedia of Korean Buddhism by Hyewŏn

Publication Date: 2013

Physical Copy

Korean Catholic encyclopedia

Reference Works in Korean

Encyclopedia of Korean Culture is an encyclopedia about many aspects of Korean culture.

 

Writing Support in the Library

Writing Help – Free help from the BYU Writing Center. BYU offers one-on-one consultant sessions to assist with all stages of research and writing, including citation and formatting. The RWC is located behind the main circulation/help desk on the ground level of the library. Click here to see these resources.

Free Digital Access to Style Guides

MLA Handbook - Formatting Your Research Project, Mechanics of Prose, The List of Works Cited, Citing Sources in the Text and more.

APA Style Guide - The bottom of this page has links with directions on how to Format Papers, In-Text Citations, Grammar, and much more.

The Chicago Manual of Style - This manual covers publishing and editing, style and usage, and source citations and indexes.

Useful Citation Resources

Purdue Owl - This website can create citations for you and give you directions for writing in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.

REFWORKS - RefWorks is a web-based citation management tool. It helps students collect, organize, and cite research sources. It supports importing references, managing bibliographies, and generating citations in various styles. All students have free access. Create an account using your NetID@byu.edu email address.

Getting Started

  • What are the major topics that (Historians, Anthropologists, Sociologists, Literary Scholars, or Korean Linguistics) are studying?
  • What are some controversies in (topic) today?
  • What are current issues in (broad subject)?

Narrowing Down Your Research

  • How can I narrow down this research topic? (topic)
  • What debates are going on about (topic)?
  • What are some subtopics of (topic)?

  • "How does (topic) affect (group/place)?

Asian Studies Librarian

Profile Photo
Tim Davis
Contact:
I am happy to meet with you in person or virtually to help you with any research questions.

Office: 5449 HBLL
Phone: 801-422-4061

How to Sign up for RefWorks

All BYU students have free access to this citation management tool. Click on this link to sign up for a free RefWorks Account.

This guide can help you if you have any questions while setting up your account.

Request a Book

Click this button to recommend a book you think the library should purchase.