These sources may help you find a topic. They provide a quick overview of a general subject, and can spur ideas for more focused study. Entries often include a short list of the best sources for further exploration. 

Of course, researchers might consult background sources at any point in the research process for biographical information, definition of terms, or overviews of concepts related to the specific topic under study.  These sources provide context for a particular event, person, or time period. 

This page is divided into two major divisons. Click on a heading to skip there immediately: 
 

1. How You Might Use One of These Sources 

2. Types of Background Sources

Suppose that while you are flipping through the Encyclopedia of Colonial and Revolutionary America, you come across a 2-3 page essay on indentured servants. After reading the essay you decide that this is a topic you want to learn more about. The article provides several sources for you to begin your research with. 

Suppose you are reading a poem written on April 18, 1863. By consulting a chronology you can quickly ascertain the major events occuring during the time the poem was written. This can help you discern what may have influenced the content, and perhaps provide clues for putting the poem in its historical context. An encyclopedia covering the Civil War can provide more context.. 

Suppose you are reading a scholarly journal, and the author refers to zoot suits. You're not sure just what this is.  You can use a dictionary of American culture or history  to learn just what a zoot suit is and find other references for more information. 

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Types of Background Sources 

1. Biographical Sources 
2. Chronologies 
3. Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 
4. Guides to Research 
 

Biographical Sources 

Biographical resources provide about individuals. Probably the best know tpye are the Who's Who series, which focus on providing basic information on famous persons. More specialized sources focus on a particular field, time period or ethnic group. 

Because of the wide variety of biographical resources available, it is best to start by consulting an index. The first place every researcher looking for biographical information should start is a product called Bio-Base (Microfiche Cabinets, PCL Reference).  This wonderful resource indexes several hundred biographical sources. You can look up an individual by name, and see if he or she has been written about. 

An additional source to try is the CD-ROM database World Biographical Index (Station #44 in PCL Reference).  This CD also indexes biographical sources. It is best used when looking for historical figures. 

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Chronologies 

History is not just a random assortment of events. To understand American history and culture you need to be able to place events in context. Chronologies help to do this. As their name suggests, they are arranged chronologically, often day by day. You can use them to determine what happened on a specific day, or in a given year. This allows the researcher to make connections between events which occured around the same time. Depending on the source, chronologies may focus on a particular range of years, or a particular topic. 

African American Almanac : Day-by-Day Black History 
    Call # E 185 R815 1997 PCL Reference 

The Annals of America 
    Call # E 173 A793 PCL Reference 

Annals of American Literature, 1602-1983 
    Call # PS 94 L83 1986 PCL Reference, UGL Reference 

Chronology of Women's History 
    Call # HQ 1121 O47 1994 PCL Reference 

Day by Day (PCL Reference) 
the 1940's: D 427 L4 
the 1950's: D 842.5 M47 
the 1960's: D 840 P27 
the 1970's: D 848 L4 198 
the 1980's: D 848 M45 

The Timetables of History: a Horizontal Linkage of People and Events 
    Call # D 11 G78 1991 PCL Reference, UGL Reference 

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Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 

As you progress up the academic ladder the resources get much more specialized. There are dictionaries which focus solely on specific topics, such as the Civil War, or the Harlem Renaissance. These can be used to ascertain a quick fact, or to get a sense of the most important topics and issues in a field. Browsing an encyclopedia in your area is a good way to generate ideas for possible research topics. 

Some of the more important dictionaries and encyclopedias are listed below to get you started. There are hundreds of additional encyclopedias and dictionaries in the reference collection of the Perry Castenada Library. Others can also be found in the Undergraduate Library, or other libraries on campus. 

Brittannica Online (Electronic version of the Encyclaedia Britannica) 
 
Dictionary of American History 8 volumes 
    Call # E 174 A43 1976 

Dictionary of Art 34 volumes 
    Call # N 31 D5 1994 

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History 5 volumes 
    Call # E 185 E54 1995 

Encyclopedia of American Economic History 3 volumes 
    Call # HC 103 E52 

Encyclopedia of American Political History 3 volumes 
    Call # E 186 E63 1990 

Encyclopedia of Colonial and Revolutionary America 
    Call # E 188 E63 1990 

Encyclopedia of Southern Culture 
    Call # F 209 E53 1989 

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 20 volumes 
    Call # ML 100 G8863 1980 

The Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature 
    Call # PS 21 R4 1962 

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Guides to Research 

For those just getting started, guides can help by providing an overview of the field, a list of important resources, and an introduction to research methods. They can also prove helpful later on in the process. Many contain information on taking notes, proper footnoting and avoiding plagiarism. A few of the more prominent guides are listed below. 
 

American Popular Culture : a Guide to Information Sources 
    Call # Z 1361 C6 L28 1982 PCL Stacks 

Guide to American Studies Resources 
    Call # E 175.8 G84 1996 

The Modern Researcher by Jacques Barzan 
    Call # D 13 B334 1992 PCL Reference, PCL Stacks 

A Short Guide to Writing About History 
    Call # D 13 M294 1995 Undergraduate Library 

A Student's Guide to History 
    Call # D 16.3 B4 1997 PCL Stacks 

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