Library Guides: ENG 366: Find Background Info

Finding Background Information - A starting point for your research

Encyclopedias, books, news sources, popular magazines, and search engines can lead you to articles that will be helpful in narrowing down your topic and finding additional keywords to search. When using an encyclopedia, read through the article's bibliography or references section to identify scholarly books and articles related to your topic.

You typically will not cite the sources you find as you begin your research. Use the background knowledge you build from these sources to develop your understanding of the language used by people discussing your topic. Add this vocabulary to a word bank you will use to search for credible and scholarly sources later on.

Use this stage of your research to get a sense for your topic in order to narrow your focus and formulate your thesis.

Encyclopedias

Gale eBooks
Provides access to a wide range of full-text reference books and encyclopedias across various subjects, perfect for in-depth research and study.

This online library has hundreds of reference titles for multi-disciplinary research, including subject-specific biographical sources, directories, encyclopedias, and other reference sources related to American and world history, biography, health, arts, business, travel, religion, and multicultural studies.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias
Provides peer-reviewed, in-depth articles across diverse academic fields, ideal for comprehensive background research and foundational insights on complex topics.

Current, peer-reviewed research from 30 encyclopedias, including the Encyclopedia of Social Work and the Oxford Classical Dictionary. This database includes full-text articles in the following disciplines: African History, American History, Anthropology, Asian History, Business and Management, Climate Science, Communication, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics and Finance, Education, Environmental Science, Global Public Health, International Studies, Latin American History, Linguistics, Literature, Natural Hazard Science, Neuroscience, Physics, Planetary Science, Politics, Psychology, and Religion. Oxford University Press publishes the Oxford Research Encyclopedias with National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Press, American Institute of Physics (AIP), and International Studies Association (ISA).
Very Short Introductions
Concise introductions to a diverse range of subject areas written by experts in the fields of Arts & Humanities, Law, Medicine & Health, Science & Mathematics, and Social Sciences.

This resource provides concise and original introductions to a diverse range of subject areas, written by expert authors who combine facts, analysis, new insights, and enthusiasm to make challenging topics readable. Browsable subject areas include Arts & Humanities, Law, Medicine & Health, Science & Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Search books, chapters, images, front matter, and end matter.

Consumer Healthcare Information

MedlinePlus
A consumer health information database from the National Institute of Health, designed to present high-quality, relevant health and wellness information that is trusted, easy to understand, and free of advertising, in both English and Spanish. Anywhere, anytime, on any device—for free.

UpToDate
Provides comprehensive syntheses of evidence along with point of care recommendations including current drug information, medical calculators, and patient education handouts.

This article database is a point-of-care information resource which contains over 10,000 clinical topics representing 25 specialties. In addition to searching the entire resource or viewing Topics by Specialty, there are options to view the newest updates (What's New), Practice Changing Updates, Drug Information, and Patient Education information. Specialties included are: Allergy and Immunology, Anesthesiology, Cardiovascular Medicine, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine (Adult and Pediatric), Endocrinology and Diabetes, Family Medicine and General Practice, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Surgery, Geriatrics, Hematology, Hospital Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Nephrology and Hypertension, Neurology, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, Oncology, Palliative Care, Pediatrics, Primary Care (Adult), Primary Care Sports Medicine (Adolescents and Adults), Psychiatry, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Rheumatology, and Sleep Medicine.