Background information can be described as the who, what, when, where, and why related to your topic, author, or text. It can help you answer some of the questions from the previous section of this guide, and can often be found in library resources such as encyclopedias, guidebooks, dictionaries, biographies, and bibliographies. Try searching some of the sources below in addition to performing Google or Wikipedia searches. Compare your results, and then refine your topic using this background information. You can also use background information to draft a list of keywords to search for secondary sources (see next tab of this guide) and to draft your thesis statement / argument.
Provides access to full-text biographies, including the complete full text of Biography and Biography Today.
Full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. Includes synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories and poems.
Defines the vocabulary of the first six centuries (600-1150) of the English language.
Access note: Must use VPN to access this database from off campus.