USMA Library Homepage: RS103: 2: Find Background Info

Background Information and Pre-Research

Before you can start any research on your topic, you must have a background knowledge of it. Online or print encyclopedias, books, and some websites can provide you with that knowledge.

This is important because:

Background sources give you the language that people are using to discuss your topic. You will use this language when you start to search databases for scholarly articles and resources on the topic.
This "pre-research" gives you a sense if your topic is focused enough. If your initial searches bring back so many results you can't even figure out what the language is, then you should consider narrowing your topic.

Remember, background information is always a starting point for research, not an ending point.

Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
Updated weekly, this resource presents key facts, arguments, history, and current context of current events and important issues.
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
A collection of language and subject reference works. We do not subscribe to all content.

Wikipedia
Wikipedia is an excellent starting point for research because of its vast and growing network of more than 30 million articles. Many professors and scholars do not recommend Wikipedia as a source of research because pages are collaboratively written and can be subject to errors and inconsistencies. In addition, some Wikipedia articles have been subject to vandalism, biased writing, and unsubstantiated claims. Even if you cannot use Wikipedia as a citable source, it still has an important place in the pre-research process.

When background researching a topic, Wikipedia is a great place to start. Understanding the background, history, and related terminology of a topic can help you discover scholarly and substantiated information from other sources like quality websites, books, or periodicals,

Using Wikipedia for Research

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