Once you've started thinking about your topic, you'll want to start gathering background information to determine the scope of your research question. What are the big ideas people are talking about with respect to your topic? What is the historical and social context? Who are the key players?
Here are some resources that can help you build up your background knowledge:
Look to the Oxford English Dictionary for authoritative information about a word’s definition and origin, as written by scholars. Use it when you want to know, for instance, when “cowboy” became a term attributed to the American West!
Digitized reference books (encyclopedias, directories, dictionaries, thesauri, atlases, quotation dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) in many subjects. Searchable full text across all volumes.
Digitized reference books (encyclopedias, directories, etc.) in many subjects, with strong emphasis on literature. Searchable full text across all volumes.
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