Research Tutorial: Finding Background Information

What are Background Sources?

• Databases - find articles with keyword searching in a database
  • Use UC Library's Online Resources tool to help you select a database or other resources to search
• Library Catalog - find books, journals, newspapers, indexes, and bibliographies by keyword searching
• E-Journal Portal - find e-journals and e-newspapers by subject browsing or keyword journal title searching
• Lecture notes, text books and reserve readings are great resources for background information

Using Bibliographies and Citations

• Bibliographies are collections of citations on a specific subject
• Citations at the end of encyclopedia entries and journal articles can lead you to more detailed or relevant information

Reproduced and adapted with permission from: Reference Department; Instruction, Research, and Information Services (IRIS); Cornell University Library