Background information provides a general overview of a research topic, including important terms and concepts, relevant names of people or places, and dates of specific events. Finding background information can help you locate keywords for searching databases and identify more specific areas of your topic that you may want to research further1.
Finding Background Information
We recommend a couple of starting points:
This database contains subject specialty encyclopedias that can give you a disciplinary overview of your topic and help you discover keywords that can be valuable in your research
A great place to start to get a more general overview of your topic. Most articles also contain References and sources.
How to Use a Reference Article:
