Whether you have a topic in mind or you need to explore some possibilities, subject encyclopedias provide concise overviews which identify the who, what, where, and when related to your topic of interest. Adding this grounding to what you already know can help to focus a broad topic idea down to a more specific research question. Subject encyclopedias can also provide key terms to use when searching in databases for additional research materials. Many entries in the subject encyclopedias linked below conclude with a short bibliography of relevant books and articles which can jump start your research.
What follows are a few examples of specific reference sources included in the Gale EBooks database that may be relevant to projects in this class. Other titles in the Gale EBooks and Oxford Reference Online, linked above, will provide overviews of other world regions, world cultures, and subject areas. Search or explore by topic.