IELP Library Guide for Student Research: Background Information
Subject Encyclopedias
Scholarly subject encyclopedias provide background information about specific topics. Entries or articles, written by scholars or subject experts, include bibliographies or suggested readings that will lead to more information on your topic.
You can use subject encyclopedias to identify keywords for your research in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
Background Information Video
This three-minute video shows how to find background information
Very Short Introductions - Oxford University Press
- Very Short IntroductionsProvides concise introductions on a diverse range of topics in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Background Information about Countries
A guide to countries of the world by Publication Date: 2016
International Encyclopedia of Geography by Publication Date: 2017
- Europa World and/or the Regional Surveys of the WorldCovers political and economic information about countries and territories, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Search for Subject Encyclopedias (PSU Only)
Selected Online Scholarly Encyclopedias
Encyclopedia of race, ethnicity, and society by Publication Date: 2008
Routledge encyclopedia of philosophy by Publication Date: 2001 - present
The Sage encyclopedia of political behavior by Publication Date: 2017
