Research Guides: Sustainability: Background Information

Why Find Background Information?

Background information sources can help you:

Broaden or focus your topic
Find new words to use when searching
Locate primary research articles for your paper

Background sources are NOT primary sources and should usually not be used as references in your research. However, some seminal works in a field can serve as references and background sources. You can always ask a librarian!

What is a background information source?

An encyclopedia
A textbook
An essay database (like CQ Researcher)
A reference book

Resources

Gale Virtual Reference Library
-Ebook reference for health science, business, environmental science, religion, political science, and more
-Full text Full text access to the follow reference titles: American Decades Primary Sources, Countries and Their Cultures, Dictionary of American History, Encyclopedia of Bioethics, Encyclopedia of Education, Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History in America, Encyclopedia of Religion, Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Genetics, New Catholic Encyclopedia