Background Information
So you've chosen your topic, now what? One of the best ways to approach a research project is to get some background or general information on the topic you have chosen. Why get background information? Well, sometimes it is very helpful to find out a little about your topic before you begin to do serious research. If you do a bit of reading at this time you may save yourself time later. It is at this time that you may find out from some preliminary reading that the topic you chose isn't quite what you had in mind. If that is the case, you can go back one step and select another topic. If you decide to skip this step and dive right into researching books, journals and the Internet, you have made a substantial investment of time. This is time that may be wasted should you decide, for instance, that you really don't want to read about child abuse, but would rather research the effects of television on children.
Finding Background Information
Background information can be found in a number of places. Your instructor and textbook can provide valuable background information on a topic. However, a very good place to start finding background information is in the Reference section of the AVC Library. In the Reference section are both general and specialized encyclopedias that can give you information on a wide variety of topics.
General Encyclopedias
General encyclopedias such as the Britannica or World Book offer articles on many different subjects. You may want to look up your topic in one of these encyclopedias. If you have never used an encyclopedia, please ask at the Reference Desk for help.
Specialized Encyclopedias
Specialized Encyclopedias are encyclopedias that are devoted to one subject, or several closely related subjects. The Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an example of an encyclopedia dedicated to philosophy. Specialized encyclopedias include substantial articles authored by subject specialists, in this case, philosophers. These articles can serve to introduce you to your topic and to the vocabulary used when discussing that topic. Every discipline has it's own specialized vocabulary. Using a specialized encyclopedia to become familiar with this vocabulary will make the transition to reading journal articles and books much easier. For a handout listing some of the these specialized encyclopedias, click on the link below:
Philosophy Research Guide (PDF format)