Research Guides: History: Background Information

Background Information

Background sources (e.g., reference databases, encyclopedias) provide overviews of topics. They can help you:

understand the context surrounding your topic
refine your research focus
identify effective search terms and strategies
in some cases, identify important historical documents and primary sources.

Finding Background Sources on a Specific Topic

The library has general encyclopedias and reference databases (like those listed in the next section), as well as more subject-specific encyclopedias and reference sources. In many cases, if a person has a fairly specific topic, a more subject-specific encyclopedia may be more helpful (though often it’s worth looking at both more general and more subject- specific encyclopedias).

Subject-specific encyclopedias

Use the Library Search (available from the Campbell Library homepage). Experiment with different keywords.

Sample searches:

encyclopedia child labor
encyclopedia child immigra* (Using ‘immigra*’ will give you variations of the word stem: immigrant, immigrants, immigration, etc.)

From the Library Search results page you can refine your results. For example:

Under the Resource Type filter you can limit to “Reference entries” like encyclopedia articles.
For print material only, under the “Limit to” select “Held by Library."

Reference Databases

For general encyclopedias reference databases, the Library has Britannica Academic and Credo Reference. These are available through links at the top of this page, as well as from the Library A-Z Databases List. These library databases on are accessible to RU students, faculty, and staff.

General

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive reference collection (dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographies etc.) for all academic disciplines.
Credo Reference provides a complete reference collection including encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, quotation books, bilingual dictionaries, measurement conversions, and more.
Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive college-level encyclopedia.

World History

Modern World History Online This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of modern world history.
Covers the people, places, and events in the broad expanse of history from the mid-15th century to the present.

World History Encyclopedia
A widely read and credible internet resource for historical background information

U.S. History

African-American History This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of African-American history.
Features thousands of cross-referenced entries, covering the entire spectrum of African-American history over the past 500 years.
American History This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of American history.
Spans more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history, highlighting the important people and events of the American experience. Includes biographies, events and topics, primary sources, timelines, images and videos, maps and charts. All full text.
American Indian History This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of the history of the American Indian.
Offers access to more than 600 Native American groups and over 15,000 years of American Indian culture and history.
American Women's History Online This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of the history of women in the United States.
Covers the important people, events, legislation, and issues relevant to the study of women's history in the United States. Includes biographies, events and topics, primary sources, time-lines, images and videos, maps and charts. All full text.
Ancient and Medieval History This link opens in a new window
Online encyclopedia of ancient and medieval history.
Focuses on Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Islamic Empire from prehistory through the 1500s.
Congress and the Nation This link opens in a new window
Online collection of reference works about the U.S. Congress.
An invaluable resource for research and study of the U.S. Congress, with coverage from 1945 to 2008.
Encyclopedia of American Studies This link opens in a new window
Encyclopedia articles covering the field of American Studies.
The term American Studies encompasses a vast range of disciplines, all of which describe the cultures of the United States. In recent years comparative studies of Canada and Latin America have been incorporated.

Timelines

Use a timeline to get a perspective on your topic.

World Digital Library (Library of Congress)
British Library: Timelines
Currently unavailable (May 2024). Allows users to view British Library collection items chronologically.
Digital History Timelines