1. Start your research with general reference source to build your background information. Use encyclopedias and Wikipedia to get a general overview of your topic, click around to related topics, and think about your general area of focus. Write down a few general keywords to use in your next stage.
2. Move on to a specialized encyclopedia or biography collection. These are reference sources written by scholars in the field-- the topics are still overviews, but more specific. Depending on your assignment, you may be done here. If you are moving on to journals or periodicals, write down names, events, and terms to use.
3. Use your specialized keywords to search in a database. Databases can contain journal articles, periodical articles, book reviews, images, and more.
Specialized Encyclopedias and Biography Collections:
Databases: