Research, write and speak from a position of knowledge.

An overview of your topic area helps you understand...

• the historical perspective on your topic
• what the key issues are and how you may want to refine your topic
• who are the stakeholders (the groups or individuals interested in or affected by this topic)
• a context of how your topic relates to the other issues that surround it
• specialized vocabulary that is used relating to your topic (you can use these words for searches later in your research process)