MC Library Research Guides: SPAN 201: Develop a Topic

Find Background Information

Background information helps you learn about aspects of a topic that might interest you. Use the reference sources below to explore ideas for your cultural appreciation project, and to increase your understanding of a topic.

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Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Online reference library with a wide selection of reference books. Search or browse by subject. These titles are also accessible through RaptorSearch.
Latino American Experience This link opens in a new window A full-text digital resource exploring the history and culture of U.S. Latinos.
A to Z The World This link opens in a new window A to Z The World contains information about world history, cultures, languages, foods, and religions, with 174 Country Culture Guides featuring country specific information on education, business, history, holidays and festivals, languages, weather, security issues, and national symbols.
Encyclopaedia Britannica This link opens in a new window Encyclopaedia Britannica Online includes the complete encyclopedia, as well as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, Britannica Student Encyclopedia and the Britannica Book of the Year.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window A selected collection of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. For a current title list of our offerings, see the List of Sources once you are in the collection. These titles are also accessible through RaptorSearch. For information on how to use e-books on Gale, please see this helpful video.
Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window Biography in Context is a comprehensive database of biographical information on over 340,000 people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. It combines more than 435,000 biographies from over 1,000 volumes of more than 135 respected Gale sources.

Research Skills & Tips:

Choose a Research Topic
by Niyati Pandya Last Updated Sep 4, 2024 1240 views this year

Searching as Exploration Video

Develop a Topic

To choose a research topic, begin with general background information. This will help you explore topics of interest, develop research questions and search terms, and decide where to look for sources.