Records in databases that use a thesaurus are created from the words listed in the thesaurus. Sometimes you will have only a general idea of the topic you want to research. In that case, it may be helpful to look up your key terms in subject encyclopedias. Articles in these encyclopedias summarize what is known about a topic, provide background information, and suggest ways you can narrow or focus a topic which is too broad for a research paper. You may also find other key words or concepts that apply to your topic.
Encyclopedias often list additional sources at the end of each article.
And if you look up your topic in Britannica Online, a computer searchable version of Encyclopedia Britannica available via the Library Networked Databases, you may be directed to some excellent Internet sites as well. Ask a reference librarian to suggest an appropriate subject encyclopedia for your topic.