Don't know much about your topic? Not sure where to start your research?

Background sources (also called reference sources) are things like enyclopedias, dictionaries, manuals, etc. and are excellent sources for:

• Getting a general overview of your topic
• Introducing you to key concepts and terminology
• Introducing you to issues and point of interest in research and practice fields
• Providing the background knowledge that will help you make sense of scholarly research articles
• Helping you identify and define research topics for your assignments