A sourcebook is a collection of writings on a subject that is intended to be a basic introduction to the topic presented.
Academic use
In American universities, a sourcebook, either a standard one or a custom collection, may function as a supplement or replacement for a
textbook
A textbook is a book containing a comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study with the intention of explaining it. Textbooks are produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational institutions. Schoolbooks are textboo ...
.
In American law schools,
casebooks are similar to sourcebooks, offering selections of legal cases and commentary, forming the basis for analysis and discussion.
Games
In games, a ''sourcebook'' is a publication intended to supplement the core materials of a
gaming
Gaming may refer to:
Games and sports
The act of playing games, as in:
* Legalized gambling, playing games of chance for money, often referred to in law as "gaming"
* Playing a role-playing game, in which players assume fictional roles
* Playing ...
product. Sourcebooks are most commonly used to complement
role-playing games and some
tabletop or
wargaming series, and often contain optional rules, scenarios, or other materials that players can use to extend or enhance the central game. The term tends to refer to an overall expansion, while the related
splatbook focuses on a specific fictional aspect of the game in depth.
Popular gaming series with many sourcebooks include:
* ''
GURPS''
* ''
BattleTech''
* ''
Dungeons & Dragons''
* ''
Shadowrun''
Examples
*The regulations of the
Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) was a quasi-judicial body accountable for the financial regulation, regulation of the financial services industry in the United Kingdom between 2001 and 2013. It was founded as the Securities and Investmen ...
. Th
FSA Handbookcontains many sourcebooks for different aspects of its regulation, for instance its rules on conduct of business for investment firms, the Conduct of Business Sourcebook ('COBS')
*Paul Halsall, edito
The Internet History Sourcebooks Project*
Norton Critical Editions
Notes
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See also
*
Source literature Source literature (understood as printed texts) is a kind of information source. It might, for example, be cited and used as sources in academic writings, and then called the literature on the subject.
The meaning of "source literature" is relativ ...
External links
*Hjørland, Birger (ed.)
Source literature Core Concepts in Library and Information Science.
Game terminology
Library science