This is a very important step in your search strategy and should be done before going to the online catalog or to the databases. Doing background reading first will give you some ideas on determining the scope of your topic and may also lead you to specific sources for further information. For more detailed information on this step, read all the sections on this page.
The World Book Encyclopedia 2013 by 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology by 
CRC Concise Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology by 
Start Your Pre-Research
Gather what you know about your topic, but don't rely on it yet.
Bring them along. You have to figure out if they are any good.
Then start to look for background information. You will need to gain a general understanding of it by gathering information that will introduce you to terminology, concepts, people, and events specific to your topic. Get familiar with databases that cover your main subject of interest.
Don't get upset if you are having a hard time finding information on your topic. At this point in the research cycle you may need to expand or even change your topic altogether depending on what you find. ASK FOR HELP!
When you begin research on a topic, your first need is for background information. This is particularly important if you are not very familiar with the subject or if you are not sure which aspect of it you want to emphasize. In addition, you want to discover the words and language of the area you are exploring. The purpose of finding background information is to make the rest of your research process go more smoothly.
WHERE TO START?
Use an encyclopedia. These are written by experts in the field and will provide a good overview of the topic. This can also give you terms to start thinking about using in a keyword search. Encyclopedias and dictionaries are very useful sources of information.
They provide -
If your topic is new, controversial, or subject to change, a periodical article may turn out to be more helpful to you than an encyclopedia.
The library has both general and specialized encyclopedias. Whatever encyclopedia you choose, be sure to consult its index volume, which will help you locate all the references to your topic. General Encyclopedias usually give a broad treatment of a subject and differ in their strengths. It is best to check several general encyclopedias to find one with the best coverage of your topic. Specialized Encyclopedias give more detailed information as it relates specifically to one field.
Keep in mind that encyclopedias are great to START with, but they are not to be used as sources directly. Do not cite them in your work.
Some types of information sources can be particularly helpful when looking for background information.
| Current Events Briefs | Need a good place to start? Try CQ Researcher. It is a great resource for finding background information. Databases like CQ Researcher are focused on understanding controversial topics in current events. They provide information about the background of the issue as well as explanations of the positions of those on either side of a controversy. |
| Encyclopedias | Encyclopedias are ideal sources for doing background research in order build your knowledge about a topic sufficiently to identify a topic and develop a research plan. See some choices on the left side of this guide. Looking for encyclopedias online? Check out the Gale Reference Collection. |
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Dictionaries |
Dictionaries include both general dictionaries like the Oxford English Dictionary as well as more specialized dictionaries focused on a single area. Dictionary entries are usually shorter and less detailed than encyclopedia entries and generally do not include references. However, they can be helpful when your research introduces you to concepts with which you aren't familiar |
| Textbooks | Your textbook is a potential source of background information, providing an explanation of the topic that prepares you to focus and dig deeper. Textbooks give a general overview of lot of information, |
| Statistics | While you may find that it's difficult to make sense of statistics related to your topic while you're still exploring, statistics can be a powerful tool for establishing the context and importance of your research. |
Note that natural language searches, such as you are used to doing in Google, will not return good results in a library database.
Sometimes the words we use to describe a concept is different from the words used in the literature. If you are not finding information on your topic, try using synonyms to replace your original words. It is helpful to read abstracts of articles in your search results and adjust your language in subsequent searches.
Researchers use a controlled vocabulary called subject terms to identify related concepts. Subject terms work like hashtags and are assigned to articles by the database indexers. The best way to discover subject terms is to click on the title of a relevant article and look at the listed terms. Another way is to use the subject terms limiter on the left-hand side of the results screen in a database.
Use a thesaurus to help you find more keywords. Why? Well, there are many different ways to describe something, and having synonyms will lead you to resources you might otherwise miss.
Brainstorm by writing down what you already know about the topic. Let that guide you to find out what you don't know.
The video below explains more about this process.
Try mind mapping. Where you start with a central idea and then link different ideas to it.
How does this work? See this example from Clark U.: http://libraryguides.library.clark.edu/brainstorming
Use a mind mapping tool to help you sort out your ideas about a topic. Here is a web page with information about mind mapping: http://www.mindmapping.com/
More tools listed below:
Hierarchies: Big-to-Small
Word Bank: organize by concept
