This collection attempts to synthesize reference research by juxtaposing perspectives, problems and analytical methods typical of the various disciplines engaged in reference research. The 10 sections respectively deal with: semantic aspects of reference; pragmatic aspects of reference; indexicality and deixis; reference as a collaborative activity; grammatical phenomena in reference; lexical phenomena in reference; the cognitive processing of reference; reference in fiction; the acquisition of reference; and the universality and typology of reference.