Research Guides @ Fordham: Biographical Research: Reference Shelf

Brief Profile Databases

Start Your Research with a Brief Profile

Brief profiles are useful when starting your research to determine the standard spelling of names, significant dates, occupations, nationality, and notoriety of the individual. Use the brief sources listed here for fact checking or when minimal information is required.

Biography (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Search for biographies based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, gender, or other keywords.
Credo Reference - Academic Core This link opens in a new window
Millions of entries from notable subject encyclopedias, handbooks, guides, companions and readers covering over 80 major subject disciplines and more than 6 million research concepts. Access to more than 1,000 videos and animations, and 500,000 contextual visual aids, images, photographs and maps.
Marquis Biographies Online (Who's Who in...) (Technical Problems Reported 9/30/24) This link opens in a new window
Brief biographies of over 1.4 million people from government, business, science, technology, the arts, entertainment, and sports. (U.S. focus)
Access available to the following titles:
Who's Who Among Human Services Professionals
Who's Who in 20th Century America
Who's Who in America
Who's Who in American Art
Who's Who in American Education
Who's Who in American History
Who's Who in American Law
Who's Who in American Nursing
Who's Who in American Politics
Who's Who in Asia
Who's Who in Corporate America
Who's Who in Entertainment
Who's Who in Finance & Business
Who's Who in Media & Communications
Who's Who in Medicine & Healthcare
Who's Who in Religion
Who's Who in Science and Engineering
Who's Who in the East
Who's Who in the Midwest
Who's Who in the South & Southwest
Who's Who in the West
Who's Who in the World
Who's Who of American Women
Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America
Oxford Reference Premium This link opens in a new window
Over 200 dictionaries, encyclopedias, and subject reference books published by Oxford University Press. One search provides results from all sources. Includes historic and contemporary profiles for all nations, professions, and affiliations.

Brief Profile Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Chambers Biographical Dictionary by various editors
Call Number: (LC, RH) Ref CT103 .C4
Most recent electronic edition (9th)
London [Eng.] : Chambers Harrap, 2011.

Most recent print edition (8th)
Edinburgh : Chambers, 2007.
Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary by Merriam-Webster, Inc. Staff
Call Number: (LC RH) Ref CT103.M47
Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1995.