START YOUR RESEARCH WITH REFERENCE SOURCES
Reference sources are encyclopedias and other reference material that give you a broad overview of your subject:
Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How
- This will allow you to better understand where the specific information you find later fits in the bigger picture.
- Make note of terms, also called keywords, relating to your topic:
- Examples: names of people; important dates; relevant legislation; words or expressions unique to your topic.
- You can use these keywords when searching for secondary sources (books and journal articles) and primary sources.
Examples of Reference Sources: Almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, dictionaries / thesauruses, encyclopedias, handbooks, and indexes.