LibGuides: ENGL 101 English Composition 1: Find Background Information

Reference Databases

Finding Background Information

Find Background Information on your topic in library reference (academic encyclopedias) databases.

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Search for authoritative information in subject encyclopedias selected for courses and programs at Green River College

Reference in Ebsco -- Ebooks Community College Collection
Search within 3000+ reference books across the disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, sciences, technology, and health.
Reference in ProQuest Ebook Central
A collection of searchable academic reference sources in multiple disciplines

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Browse by topic or keyword to find information covering a broad range of important issues in health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Weekly reports dating back to 1923.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Full-text viewpoint essays, topic overviews, journal articles, news, and statistics. A great place to find evidence to support argumentative essays.
Global Issues in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Full-text articles featuring global viewpoints on international issues, country reports, primary source documents, statistics, videos, and more
Environmental Studies in Context - GREENR (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Focuses on the physical, social, and economic aspects of environmental issues covering energy systems, health care, agriculture, climate change, population, and economic development.
Science In Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Full-text articles from academic journals, magazines, and newspapers in addition to experiments and projects. Includes images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites.
Biography in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Full-text reference entries, magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, podcasts, and images covering a vast array of people from historically significant figures to present-day news makers.

An Example from Gale Ebooks

Social Issues in America is a great resource for this project! Articles range from ageism to domestic surveillance to voting and xenophobia. Articles are 7 or 8 pages long. Each provides an overview of the issue, a chronology, statistics, and more.

Social Issues in America: an Encyclopedia by James Ciment (Editor)
Call Number: 361.97303 S678 2006
Publication Date: 2013
Avalaible in GVRL (2013 ed.)
Reference Collection--in-library use (2006 ed.)

Need statistics or in-depth content?

Another great reference source for background information is the Information Plus Reference Series. The topic range is extensive, from Animal Rights to Water: a Global Perspective.

Information Plus Reference Series

Advanced search for books (image + link) [okay to MAP]

Advanced Searching: Books

Holman Library One Search (Advanced Search)
Use the advanced search options to select source type (books, videos, scholarly peer-reviewed articles), online format, date ranges and more .
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Tips: How to Use the Holman Library One Search

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Find Background Information: the 5 Ws & H

Asking the Right Questions

Find background information on your current topics in library databases. When searching, be sure to ask yourself these questions!

Who: Who does this impact? Who is involved?

What: What are the key issues?

When: When is this an issue? What is its history?

Where: Where is this an issue?

Why: Why is this occurring? Why does it matter?

How: How is it currently being addressed? How can it be changed?