Get acquainted with your topic by searching broad range tools like encyclopedias and dictionaries. These will give you:
- general information on the subject,
- an understanding of a topic within its larger context,
- a basic outline of your topic,
- significant persons, places and events related to a topic,
- technical terminology, professional jargon, idioms and subject related vocabulary to use as search terms.
It will also help to focus your research topic as well as enhance your understanding of the topic as you read more detailed resources. In addition, the bibliographies and authors of encyclopedia articles are excellent sources for further research.
Find Encyclopedias and Dictionaries:
The easiest method of finding encyclopedias & dictionaries on any topic is to search "encyclopedias OR dictionaries" in the subject field (su:) in the library catalog and then add whatever broad field your topic fits into. Like this:
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries communication
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries rhetoric
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries literature
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries bible
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries theology
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries history
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries political science
NOTE: “encyclopedias” and “dictionaries” must be plural; “OR” must be in all caps.
Alternatively or additionally, you could include a narrower topic by ANDing a keyword (kw:). Like this:
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries communication AND kw:media
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries literature AND kw:theory
su:encyclopedias OR dictionaries history AND kw:internment
NOTE: "AND" must be in all caps.
It is also very helpful to limit the Resource Format: to Book. Also consider limiting the Content Type: to NonFiction and the Language: to English.
Last updated September 2022
