There are thousands of definitions in the library's reference databases. 
 

• However, scholarly definitions may require validation from journal articles. 

• We recommend you ask your faculty member for their expectations regarding the source type.
   

Importance of Doctoral Level Definitions
 

At the Doctoral level definitions become very important. At this level there is no one definition for a concept. Instead there is:

• The expert definition that your instructor and other scholars in the field have.
• The developing definition in your head.
• The evidence-based interpretation from the literature that has grown out of many years of research and theory and continues to evolve.

The evidence-based interpretation is what you have to carve out of the literature and make your own. In your dissertation, you will need to justify and support your own operational definitions with citations or with precedent.
 

Finding Definitions

Two great starting points for finding definitions are:

• Subject-specific dictionaries and encyclopedias.
• Thesaurus (aka Subject Terms) lists in library article databases.
   

Subject-Specific Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

These types of sources can be found in the libraries three reference databases.

Search any of the following for definitions: (Linked below)

• Credo Reference
• Gale Virtual Reference Library
• SAGE Reference Online

Thesaurus (aka Subject Terms) Lists in Library Databases

Use the Controlled Vocabulary lists (aka Thesaurus or Subject Terms list) from the databases to see how the database experts are defining a term.

When you view a term within the Thesaurus or Subject Terms list, look for a "Scope Note" or other line of text that defines the scope of that subject term.