After selecting a topic
you will need to look at background information to get
an overview of the subject and help you to focus your
topic.
Reference resources such as dictionaries
and encyclopedias are the most common background sources.
Dictionaries and encyclopedias come in various forms. Also, they can be general (try to cover everything) or subject specific (offer detailed coverage of particular subjects).
Before reading on, you can click on the links below to read more about dictionaries and encyclopedias and see some examples:
As you read about a subject take note of distinctive and unique words used to describe the topic. These can be added to your list of keywords and used to search for additional information in other sources.
Mitch, General Education student:
"My assignment dealt with recent advances in genetic engineering. While reading an encyclopedia I got onto the topic of cloning, and this provided some of the best material for my essay."
tip from
your librarian
"The library has a good range of dictionaries and encyclopedias on the shelves, but you can start online!"
The Oxford Reference Centre Online provides
you with access to a range of reference sources.
Click here to view a brief presentation on how to use Oxford Reference Centre Online.
