Need Help?
Finding Background Information
Not sure how to start your research? Background and reference sources can help you...
- Gather initial information about a topic
- Get a rough overview so you can decide what areas to research further
Reference books and online tools are great for looking up a quick fact, definition, or date, and they can direct you to more sources.
If none of the suggestions on this page fit what you're looking for, try a search in the library catalog for your research topic and add "reference", "handbook", "guide", or "companion" to see what materials we have on your topic.
Don't underestimate the value of reference materials and sources like Wikipedia to help set you up for future research!
Online Tools for Background Information
The databases listed in this box can help you find background information. These provide access to short entries on a variety of subjects that will give you some helpful context as you brainstorm issues to explore further.
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Credo Reference Academic Core This link opens in a new window
- What's included? Hundreds of encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations, and subject-specific titles, as well as 200,000+ images and audio files, and nearly 200 videos.
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Oxford Reference Online Premium This link opens in a new window
- What’s included? Brings together selected reference works from Oxford University Press into a single cross-searchable resource.
Credits
Updated by Robin Devin & Jim Kinnie, 5/01; Larry Kelland, 9/02; James Austin, 07/10; Anthony Loffredio, 5/13; Lauren Morrissette, 6/18; Linda Gatewood, 6/25