Background Reading
Background reading will:
- Introduce you to the key concepts and jargon of the field, thus making retrieval of books and journals easier.
- Help you determine whether your topic is too broad or too narrow.
- Give you an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the library's collection in the area you wish to research.
Where to begin?
- Begin with your textbook.
- Look at general or subject-specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries. Reference Resources
- Skim read current articles if you have a new topic. Newspapers on the WWW
- Look for books in the Stout Library Catalog if you have an established topic.
What do I look for?
- Keywords and Jargon.
- What are the key phrases and concepts associated with your topic?
- How would researchers in the field describe your topic?
- Other Sources
- Do the bibliographies listed in the handbooks, encyclopedias, annual reviews, etc. point to other sources that can be consulted?
- Theories
- What are the major theories associated with your topic?
- Is there consensus or a bit of controversy?
- Subquestions
- How can this topic be narrowed, or divided into different aspects?
Last Updated: 06/13/2008 and Last Revised: 4/23/2008
Contact Denise Madland for more information or help on this topic.