Abstract

Visual content provides information that complements written text and supports readers’ understanding of encyclopedic entries. As an integral component of reference works, illustrations can convey information that is difficult to express verbally, facilitate faster and deeper comprehension, and improve the accessibility of entry content. The quality and effectiveness of visual content have therefore become important criteria for evaluating encyclopedias and other reference works. Based on a systematic examination of the illustrations in Nguyen Xuan Chuc’s Encyclopedia of World History, this article analyzes their characteristics, composition, functions, and current use. It also proposes recommendations for improving the selection, organization, and presentation of visual content in encyclopedic dictionaries.

Keywords: Encyclopedic dictionary, Encyclopedia of World History, illustrations, Nguyen Xuan Chuc, visual content.