Background information is the foundation upon which you build good research.

Reading background information allows you to quickly learn more about a subject and help you make informed decisions about how to approach your research and select reliable sources.

Background reading will help you:

• Identify key concepts, names, events, authors, terms, etc. associated with your topic.
• Determine whether your topic is too narrow or too broad.
• Figure out if there is consensus or controversy surrounding your topic.
• Understand the historical context and relationships to other topics.
• Find potential articles & books in bibliographies.

1. Choose a Topic
2. Find Background Information
   • General encyclopedias
   • Subject-specific encyclopedias
   • Handbooks
   • Textbooks
   • Reliable web sources
3. Find Articles, Books, Web Sites
4. Evaluate Your Sources
5. Write Your Paper & Cite Sources

Find a brief definition or overview of your topic using the Library's online dictionaries and encyclopedias.