The truncation symbol may vary from database to database. Once you have identified and tested your topic, you're ready to take the next step, finding background information on your research topic. 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.
For more general background you may wish to search Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, which is available via the Library home page. The sources cited in the bibliography are good starting points for further research. Look up these sources in Sterling. Check the subject headings listed in the subject field of the Sterling record for these books. Then do subject searches using those subject headings to locate additional titles.