Feature Articles
In addition to the regular updating of Oxford Quick Reference entries, the new titles and editions which are added to that collection 3 times a year, and the new titles and editions being added to the Oxford Reference Library throughout the year, Oxford Reference publishes regular features and articles covering topical anniversaries and interesting slices through the entire spectrum of its quality reference content. Written by editors and specialist authors we hope you find these informative, interesting, and entertaining.
- The Normans at Our Table: John Ayto, author of the second edition of The Diner's Dictionary, explores the extent to which the Normans have influenced our 21st century vocabulary, focusing on gastronomic and culinary terminology.
- Alfred Lucas, Forensic Chemistry, and the Curse of Tutankhamen: Suzanne Bell, author of the Oxford Dictionary of Forensic Science explores the life of Alfred Lucas, the one man who could rightfully claim the title of the father of forensic chemistry.
- Brevity is the soul of lit: Dinah Birch and Katy Hooper, editors of the fourth edition of The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature, look to answer the question of how you choose new entries for an established reference work which will accompany readers into the new century.
- What's in a name?: Michael Allaby, Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Plant Sciences explores the need for a classificatory system and looks at answering the question 'what's in a name?'
- Celebrating 100 years of Indian Film: A Dictionary of Film Studies authors Annette Kuhn and Guy Westwell explore the history of Indian film from its silent era ‘socials’, to the heydays of the 1930s, the money laundering of the 1940s, and the phenomenon of Bollywood.
- Dip, double-dip, or triple-dip?: Co-authors of the Dictionary of Economics, Nigar Hashimzade and Gareth Myles take a look at the current economic climate through the eyes of the UK recession.
- Snakes, space and spiders: Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, the author of Oxford Companion to Beer, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on the subject of beer. He considers the evolution of the encyclopedia, and raises a glass to the compelling nature of reference content.
- Love Birds and Yarrow: Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud, authors of A Dictionary of English Folklore, explore the fascinating history of the valentine celebration of anonymous declarations of love.
- Outlooks on Life: Susan Ratcliffe, editor of Oxford Essential Quotations, takes a look at outlook on life at the start of the new year
- Christmas Films: Authors of A Dictionary of Film Studies, Annette Kuhn and Guy Westwell take a look at Christmas films throughout the ages
- From Rhetoric to Soundbites: The journalist and former politician Matthew Parris reflects on the importance of words in politics and takes us on a tour of this compelling work
- 80 Years of Authoritative Answers with Oxford University Press: Explore eight specially selected events from 1932 to help celebrate eight decades of Oxford’s subject reference publishing
- Answers with authority: The relaunch of Oxford Reference: Robert Faber, Editorial Director for Reference at OUP, talks about the reasons and aims of the Oxford Reference relaunch
