WR 222 Writing Research Papers: Background Information
Get to Know Your Topic - Background Information
Before you start searching for sources, you need to know the nuts and bolts of your topic. Background information will help you:
- Understand the basic elements of your topic
- Narrow and focus your research question
- Determine relevant keywords and search terms
- Plan your research
Background research can take many forms, such as general googling or reading a wikipedia article. However, subject encyclopedias are trustworthy, academic sources written by experts on the subject. Subject encyclopedia entries, or articles, also include a list of references, or further reading on the subject, that you can also use for your research.
Search subject encyclopedias at Portland State University Library
Background Information Video
This three-minute video shows how to find background information
Online 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.
Online Subject Encyclopedia Databases
- Access Science from McGraw-Hill : the online encyclopedia of science & technologyContains the full text of McGraw Hill's Encyclopedia of Science and Technology as well as Science News from 2000 to the present.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library (Oregon State Library Content)Features full text scholarly encyclopedias and reference works. It is part of the Oregon Gale statewide databases.
- Oxford Reference OnlineContains full text subject encyclopedias, reference works, dictionaries, and handbooks in all disciplines.
- Sage eReferenceContains full text encyclopedias and reference books in the social sciences and humanities. Search by keyword or browse by topic.
