1. 1. Quick facts on background information: Background information gives you an overview of a topic, summarizing what is known about that topic. It will give you important information on key people, events and dates and on various aspects of the topic. It will help you identify subtopics for narrowing your topic and key words or concepts that you can use in searching for information on the topic. 2. Good sources for finding background information: Use general or subject encyclopedias General works on the topic such as books General articles on the topic in databases such as CQ Researcher Online and Facts.com >> Issues and Controversies Find background information on a topic?

2. 3. How to you find these resources? Subject encyclopedias or dictionaries From the Library Homepage under Library Resources,Library Homepage Click on the Library catalog and select search type: Subject Type in the following:Topic – Encyclopedias Ex: Terrorism – Encyclopedias Topic – Dictionaries Ex: Terrorism - Dictionaries

3. General books on a topic From the Library Homepage under Library Resources,Library Homepage Click on the Library catalog: From the search type list, select: Keyword Type in a general topic such as terrorism General articles on current topics From the Library Homepage under Library Resources,Library Homepage Select Databases A-Z: CQ Electronic Library and Facts.com

4. CQ Electronic Library >> CQ Researcher Online

5. Facts.com >> Issues and Controversies

6. 3. Information on your topic to gather from background resources: 1.Look for: - Important names and dates - Major concepts or related topics - Aspects or ideas that interest you 2.Think about how you would like to focus your topic. Do you need to narrow it? Could you limit it to: - a country or region such as the United States - a certain time period such as the last 10 years - a particular population group such as children, teenagers, etc. - a special aspect such as religious, etc. 3.Use a graphic organizer to help you break down your topic: - Click here for some exampleshere - Use these question from C-N’s Dr. Kip Wheeler to think about your topic.these question