Guides and Tutorials: Background Reading: Home

Background Reading

The aim of background reading is to obtain the a broad 'overview' of a discipline, field, research interest, or historical period. You will also do background reading in order to understand the state of a question.

Your aim is to become broadly informed about the field or state of the question. Take some notes about the history of the issue, the essential facts, and which controversial or "open" questions are worth reading more about. Pay attention also to what sources are being cited. You may find an important article or book to help your research.

Note about 'Browsing': It is ok to read superficially and browse when doing your background reading. Browsing consists of a series of glimpses, some glimpses leading to further, closer exploration of the thing(s) glimpsed and some not. In this view, browsing consists of numerous stops and starts, with some reading, or surveying, alternating with other actions, such as sampling and selecting. Use the sources here to obtain essential background information and/or to refine your research interest. Library Reference sources are good for this purpose.

Credo Reference

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Multidisciplinary reference articles from trusted encyclopedias, biographies, dictionaries, and more.

CQ Researcher

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Pro/con arguments and articles covering hot topic issues: healthcare, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, environment, and more.