Step 2: Find Background Information
After you defined your topic, the next step is to research general information about it. Encyclopedias are an excellent place to begin. Locate and read encyclopedia articles to set the context for your research. Use this information to expand and refine your research.
Here are some points for consideration:
-Is a particular author associated with the article? Experts are often invited to write encyclopedia articles.
-What keywords are highlighted and/or defined in the article?
-Encyclopedia articles typically conclude with a bibliography. What books and articles related to the topic are listed?
Online Tools
Bartleby.com: Great Books Online
Bartleby is a free, comprehensive online tool. The company has formed partnerships with Columbia University Press and Houghton Mifflin "to present the most up-to-date and readily accessible free encyclopedia, dictionary, thesauri, style, usage, quotation, and geographic reference works" (Barleby.com, 2008). You can search a variety of sources such as the Columbia Encyclopedia, History Encyclopedia, and the World Factbook.
FactMonster
FactMonster, which is part of Information Please, is a wonderful online tool. It is bright, colorful, and easy to read!
How Stuff Works from the Discovery Channel
HowStuffWorks "is the award-winning source of credible, unbiased, and easy-to-understand explanations of how the world actually works" (HowStuffWorks, 2008). Please note: this resource is not suitable for all research topics. It is an outstanding resource for topics of a scientific nature.
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
You can search the extensive online database. The information posted online is comprehensive and comparable to the CD-ROM version of the tool. Without a subscription you can only view a portion of the article. However, all of the citations are listed at the bottom of each page and include links to a wide variety of sources.