American Identities : Background Information

The topic you choose will be guided by your assignment.  Read your assignment instructions carefully.  Then, consider the following questions:

What?

• What do you already know about it?  What do you want to know about it?
• What aspects, or viewpoints, about your topic interest you most?

Who?

• Which groups are most affected by your topic?  For example, gender, age, occupation, ethnicity, etc.
• Who is involved in the discussion?

Where?

• What place or geographic region does your topic most affect? 
• Is it universal?  Or contained to one region?

When?

• What time period do you want to cover?
• Is it a current issue that affects people today?
• Do you need a historical look at the topic?  How has it changed over time?

Your topic will likely go through many drafts before you decide on the best topic for your assignment.  Your research question may change, narrow, or expand as you learn more during the research process.  If you need advice about your topic, ask your instructor or your librarian. 

This three-minute video shows how to find background information

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.

The following resources are useful for exploring your topic: