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ENGL 1301 - Hainline: Step 1: Identify & Focus Your Topic

This guide explains the research process as inquiry and provides the process to identify the more appropriate database to search for your subject.

Accessing Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

These sources will help you find background information on your topic.

This can help you:

Discover which aspects of your topic are most important to other researchers. Your instructor will likely expect you to address these areas.
Find search terms.
Learn basic facts about your topic that may help you narrow your search.

Britannica Online Academic Edition This link opens in a new window
Online version of the classic Encyclopedia Britannica. Also includes Merriam-Webster dictionary and thesaurus.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Provides online access to reference books on a variety of topics, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, quotations, and subject-specific reference books.