English 102: Locate Background Information

Background information can

• Give you an overview of your topic
• Put the topic into context
• Help define terms
• Help locate key people, events, and dates
• Point the researcher to additional resources.

You know what’s even faster and easier than making up a paper from your imagination? Writing a real paper you know something about. Reading background info is the best way to get started.

What are Reference Materials? They're research tools that offer quick facts and background information.  They help answer specific questions or direct the researcher to other relevant resources. There are many different reference materials that can be helpful including:

• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Handbooks
• Atlases
• Almanacs

The print reference collection is on the first floor of the library. These items must be used in the library and can’t be checked out.

Online, you can find these materials under the Reference Materials tab on the library homepage.

CREDO reference is a good tool to find background information on a topic. CREDO Reference is a collection of hundreds of online reference sources covering many different subject areas.