Research Guides: Writing: Get to Know Your Topic

How do I get to know my topic?

Background information sources are a gateway into your research. They provide overviews and context to help familiarize you with a topic and answer straightforward questions. Background information can help you narrow your research topic to a suitable scope for a paper or presentation. They include definitions, statistics, and summaries.

Finding Background Information

On Current Events

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Current social issue topic overviews, including pro/con viewpoint essays, academic journal and news/magazine articles, images, videos, statistics, and more

ProCon.org
Source for straightforward, nonpartisan information and research on controversial issues of the day
FactCheck.org
Annenberg Public Policy Center, Univ. of Pennsylvania

On People

Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Biographical essays on "the world's most influential people," both contemporary and historical, with videos, images, magazine and newspaper articles, and more
Gale Literature: Something About the Author This link opens in a new window
Full text essays cover the life, writings, critical reception, and more for authors and illustrators in all genres of English-language literature for children and young adults

Summaries and Overviews

Gale eBooks (formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library) This link opens in a new window
Gale’s eBook platform provides comprehensive support from many of today’s top publishers.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Full text overviews of diverse subjects, including ancient warfare, climate, consciousness, economics, game theory, Islamic history, literary theory, privacy, and more from Oxford Univ. Press
Britannica This link opens in a new window
Full text academic edition of Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster Dictionary; includes video and audio clips
Oxford African American Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Full text encyclopedia articles, biographical entries, primary sources, images, and more relevant to African American studies and Africa and diaspora studies

Facts, Statistics, & More

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Landmark historical resource that defines and illustrates through quotations the use of English language words from earliest known occurrence to present

CIA World Factbook

Statistical Abstract of the U.S. This link opens in a new window
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Online edition of annual statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States

U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Measures labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.