Doing Research...get background information

Introduction

There are a variety of information resources which can help you find basic and/or background information. Often called reference works, these resources will also help you find keywords which you can use later when you are planning your search strategy.

Reference works can help you find:: definitions - dictionaries; short essays - encyclopedias; short biographies - biographical dictionaries; statistics - almanacs & government publications

Dictionaries

When you are doing research on a topic, you will often encounter unfamiliar terms or familiar phrases used in a specialized way. Dictionaries can provide a quick definition and often some elaboration on the uses of the term.

Dictionaries may be general or cover specific subjects e.g. business dictionaries, biology dictionaries, etc.

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias provide background information on unfamiliar subjects, and they can serve as a springboard for the researcher by providing the following:

an overview of the topic;
ideas on how to narrow the topic;
related terms and subjects which might be useful;
bibliographies or lists of additional reading which will provide further information.

Many encyclopedia articles are written by experts in the field. Their summaries can lead you quickly to key ideas and sources in the development of the subject. Many encyclopedias include brief bibliographies with the articles and these can help you get started finding books, articles, and Web resources.

Encyclopedias may be general or cover specific subjects, e.g. psychology encyclopedias, music encyclopedias, etc.

Biographical Dictionaries

A biography is a written account of a person's life. Some biographical dictionaries simply list essential facts about a person, while other sources present the facts in a narrative form using complete sentences. Some sources include a list of bibliographic references which could be used for finding additional biographical information.

Almanacs

Almanacs are quite amazing sources of information. They contain a miscellany of information including: astronomical and meteorological data; statistics on countries, sports, and many other topics; lists of awards. They are an excellent place to find brief information on events of the recent, and not so recent, past.

Government Information

Government publications are particularly useful for finding statistics and other information on people, industry, natural resources, etc.

Finding Reference Material

At the Library
The best place to go for a good dictionary, encyclopedia, biographical dictionary, almanac or goverment infromation is the Library. Ask at the Research Help Desk for a recommendation.

On the Internet

Internet Resources
There are some good The Library maintains a page of Internet sources that link to Internet dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs and goverment information you might want to consult.

Internet Searching
You can also use a search engine to find a particular work. If you are looking for a dictionary, encyclopedia, or association, use that word, or its plural form, in your search. For example, to find a biology dictionary, type biology dictionaries

Tutorial
For additional help using search engines check out the search engine tutorials.

Evaluation
Be sure to carefully evaluate all Internet resources.

August 5, 2008