Clark Family Library: Early American History: Find Background Information

Why Use Background Information?

Finding background information is an important part of the research process. It helps you:

learn about topics with which you are unfamiliar
identify important facts related to your topic - keywords, dates, events, history, and names and organizations
refine your topic
find additional sources of information through bibliographies and works cited

Reference Databases

Reviewing the literature or gaining background information on a topic is a critical first step in the research process. You might do this by conducting a Google search or going to Wikipedia and reading up on a subject. We suggest using the reference databases the library subscribes to or books found in the reference section as a scholarly alternative.

Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
Offers full-text access to over 12,000 journals, including more than 10,000 peer-reviewed titles. A great database to start your research
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
This database is great for background information. It provides access to more than 630 full-text reference books and over 3 million full-text entries.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Formerly known as Gale Virtual Library (GVRL), this database is an online library of reference eBooks, including many titles from academic book publishers. The database is multidisciplinary with strengths in world and American history, literature, and economics. A great database to start your research.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Full- text of back issues of peer-reviewed journals as far back as the 1800s in the arts, sciences, ecology, botany, language, literature, and music. Multidisciplinary.

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Early American History

Developing Keywords

History Podcasts

Why Use Background Information?

Reference Databases

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