Once you have thought of a topic and created a research question that you would like to explore, the next step is to perform some background research on your topic.
Background research can take several forms. You might search Google, or read a few encyclopedia entries, or even a chapter in a textbook. In all of these instances, you will be briefly surveying the existing information to learn about your topic. This is a good practice because it helps to:
encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are good at providing succinct coverage of larger topics. They are ideal for gleaning a "bigger picture" surrounding the issues you wish to research.
General encyclopedias, like Encyclopedia Britannica, will cover a wide variety of different topics.
Subject encyclopedias, like the Encyclopedia of 20th-Century Technology, will address smaller issues within a narrower subject area. They typically go into more detail than a general encyclopedia, but not as much as an entire book on a specific topic.
dictionaries
Subject dictionaries can help with defining and understanding terminology common to the topic. A dictionary like A Visual Dictionary of Architecture, for instance, will focus solely on the subject of architecture and its vocabulary.
handbooks & sourcebooks
Handbooks, sourcebooks, and manuals are similar to subject encyclopedias or dictionaries in that they provide background information, facts, and figures about a field or industry. You might consult a resource like the Occupational Outlook Handbook for basic information regarding various careers, or the Handbook of Eating Disorders for a wide overview of the current research into different facets of the issue.
The Seminole State Library has several research databases (we will cover those much deeper in Chapter 4) that specialize in coverage of "hot topics" and current events. These tools provide both introductory and comprehensive looks into a variety issues. They are especially useful as a tool to learn about different viewpoints surrounding your topic. To access these databases, you will need to login to the library using your borrower ID and PIN.
A simple Google search can yield an enormous number of results worthy of consideration for background information. Many will provide basic overviews of a topic or discuss popular opinion on a current issue. Look for these types of sources in your results list:
Wikipedia is an excellent starting point for research because of its vast and growing network of more than 30 million articles. Many professors and scholars do not recommend Wikipedia as a source of research because pages are collaboratively written and can be subject to errors and inconsistencies. In addition, some Wikipedia articles have been subject to vandalism, biased writing, and unsubstantiated claims. Even if you cannot use Wikipedia as a citable source, it still has an important place in the pre-research process.
When background researching a topic, Wikipedia is a great place to start. Understanding the background, history, and related terminology of a topic can help you discover scholarly and substantiated information from other sources like quality websites, books, or periodicals.
Besides giving an overview of a topic, Wikipedia is also a place to find leads to published materials and websites. For example, scroll to the end of many articles to find a list of Notes or References of sources used to write the article. Some of the sources may be hyperlinked, while others may just have the citation information. The Further Reading and External Links section also have great leads to more information.
References
"Wikipedia." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 July 2014. Web. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia
The DIREKT Project Online Information Literacy (IL) Module Platform