Introduction to Research

Before you jump into searching the library catalogs and databases, it’s best to learn a bit more about your topic. Since research is all about asking questions and seeking answers, exploring your topic’s background will help you decide which questions to ask.

• You can find background information just about anywhere. Although it’s usually not a good idea to cite Google or Wikipedia in your research project, they can be useful tools for quickly learning more about your topic.
• The Points of View Reference Center and CQ Researcher databases introduced in Topic Exploration are also fantastic resources for learning background information. 
• EBSCO Research Starters: Much like the topic summary pages in Points of View Reference Center and CQ Researcher, EBSCO Research Starters provide concise overviews of many common research topics. To access these researchers, simply type your topic key words into the search box on the library home page (see image) and look for the Research Starter box at the top of the search results page.

For more in-depth help, check out our Finding Background Information research guide.