Look for background information about your research topic in encyclopedias and biographies. Reading background information about your research topic helps you to find subtopics and to narrow down what you want to write about. Background sources can also help you learn the vocabulary used to describe your topic. This new vocabulary will help you with your keyword searches.
Biographical information on people from throughout history. This resource is provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) in partnership with the Massachusetts Library System (MLS). The purchase is supported by funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Contains 100+ dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works full text and searchable.
Electronic version of the twenty-volume The Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition and three-volume Additions Series.
Search full text and images 1851-2021 including news, illustrations, editorials, and advertisements.
Online archive of eBooks and complete backruns of scholarly journals in a variety of academic fields.