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Research: Beginning: Gather Background Information

These reference databases are great places to start your research.

                         Oxford Reference                                    

Background information serves many purposes:

  • If you are unfamiliar with the topic, it provides a good overview of the subject matter.
  • It helps you to identify important facts related to your topic such as terminology, dates, events, history, and relevant names or organizations.
  • It can help you refine your topic.
  • Background research might lead you to bibliographies that you can use to find additional sources of information.

Using Wikipedia for Research

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