Background Research
Background research is one of the most effective ways to develop and refine your topic. It can help:
- Give you a better understanding of your topic
- Identify the various aspects of any topic and narrow in on a specific area of focus
- Identify key concepts and potential words/phrases you can use when searching
- Locate bibliographies and find key authors or works related to your topic
Find out how you can use the library's reference tools to help with your background research in this video introduction...
Reference Tools
CQ Researcher includes reports that offers in-depth coverage of political and social issues, such as health, international affairs, education, the environment, and human rights.
A reliable scholarly alternative to Wikipedia. As well as traditional encyclopedic entries, check out the 'mind-map' feature to explore related concepts within your topic.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context
A variety of opinion pieces, statistics and reports grouped by current events and social issues.