Once you have identified the main topic and keywords for your research, find one or more sources of background information to read. These sources will help you understand the broader context of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about your topic. The most common background sources are encyclopedias and dictionaries from the reference collection.
Textbooks also provide background information.
It contains all the text of the print edition plus several thousand additional articles, Internet links, the Merriam Webster dictionary, Book of the Year, thousands of illustrations, graphs, charts, and audio and video. Use of this product is restricted to SPS students, faculty, and staff. You may use Britannica Online at any school computer where there is an off-campus Internet connection. The sources cited in the bibliography are good starting points for further research. Look up these sources in the On-line Library Catalog and periodical indexes.