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Why use a background source?

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 an excellent for

  • Getting a general overview of your topic
  • Finding key researchers
  • Introducing you to key concepts and terminology
  • Providing the background knowledge the will help you make sense of scholarly research articles

Reference databases

Psychology background resources