Textbooks | General Encyclopedias | Subject Encyclopedias
Once you've identifed the main topic and keywords for your research, find one or more sources of background information. These sources will tell you about your topic in a general sense - and help you understand the broader context of it. General sources also provide references for beginning your research.
Textbooks
Begin with your class textbook. Check sources that are cited.
General Encyclopedias
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Available Online
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In the Library (Across from the Reference Desk)
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Encyclopedia Britannica
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Encyclopedia Americana
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Collier's Encyclopedia
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World Book Encyclopedia
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Also see
Encyclopedias
under
Research by Subject.
Subject Encyclopedias
Specialized or subject-specific encyclopedias provide more detailed articles written by experts in a field. There are hundreds of specialized encyclopedias. Bibliographies in these sources tend to be more comprehensive than bibliographies in general encyclopedias. Many subject encyclopedias will be located in the Reference section of Plough Library. To find a subject-specific encyclopedia, you will need to search the library's Online Catalog. Do a keyword search for your subject followed by the word "encyclopedia." For example, if you wanted to find an encyclopedia on education, you would perform this search:
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Library