How do I get started?

To learn more about your topic, start by looking at basic reference materials such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. These resources contain not only fundamental information on your topic, but also include a bibliography, or list of citations, that will lead you to more information. The Encyclopedia Britannica is one such general source.

A reference librarian can also direct you to more specific encyclopedias in your subject area, such as the Encyclopedia of Education (print resource) or the Women's Studies Encyclopedia. The Oxford Reference Online is a good collection of subject specific resources.

Web search engines, such as Google can also provide a starting point for finding more information about your topic. As with any web search, you will want to evaluate any sources you find this way for accuracy and dependability. You may decide to use a website evaluation checksheet (PDF file) to help you with your evaluation.

Additionally, librarians at Vanderbilt have created subject guides that may also lead you to useful background information on your topic.

Additional resources:

Encyclopedias

 

Prepared for the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, Vanderbilt University

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to MIT Libraries for granting permission to modify and use their "Information Navigator" tutorial.