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Background research and keyword discovery - when you are learning about a new topic, it's useful to do some quick background research to become familiar with the topic.
What can I learn from background research?
Basic definitions
Synonyms (different words with same meaning)
Alternate spellings (especially for translated information)
Historical information - dates, places, people, events
Important texts
Background research is a starting point to help orient the next steps of the research process.
Provides online, full text access to Gale subject encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Includes Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History; Encyclopaedia Judaica; Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy; Encyclopedia of American Industries; Encyclopedia of American Religions; Encyclopedia of Bioethics; Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security; Encyclopedia of Ethical, Legal and Policy Issues in Biotechnology; Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World; Encyclopedia of Population; Encyclopedia of Religion; Encyclopedia of Sociology; Encyclopedia of the American Constitution; Environmental Encyclopedia; Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America; Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology; New Catholic Encyclopedia; New Catholic Encyclopedia Jubilee Volume; New Dictionary of the History of Ideas; St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture; and West's Encyclopedia of American Law.
