Background reading can help you to refine your topic, and can give you context and direction for further research.

There are 2 main sources of information for background reading:

• Your Textbook
• Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Textbooks

Textbooks can give a good overview of course ideas and themes, as well as definitions of specialized terms and vocabulary. Textbooks also have footnotes and/or bibliographies, which can lead you to additional readings that could be useful for your research.

Encyclopedias and dictionaries have traditionally been used to help students get some background knowledge on a topic, but they are not considered to be scholarly resources. This means they should not be quoted or referenced in academic papers.

The same holds true for Wikipedia. Although many students rely on Wikipedia for research, most professors will not allow Wikipedia to be used for essays and assignments. Arts 1110 students should check with their professor or TA before using Wikipedia.