Library Guides: ENGL 131 O: Composition: Exposition: Find Background Information

Encyclopedias and Reference Sources

Encyclopedias and and other reference works (handbooks, dictionaries, directories) provide background information that can be used to identify key issues, context, people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information.

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African American Almanac
Provides historical and current information on African American history, society, and culture.

African American Experience This link opens in a new window
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Reference content, primary documents, and media illustrating the history and culture of the African American community
American Indian Experience This link opens in a new window
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Reference content, primary documents, and images illustrating the histories and cultures of North American Native peoples.
Daily Life Through History This link opens in a new window
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Off-campus access temporarily requires use of Husky OnNet. Primary documents, essays, images, maps, and timelines depicting daily life around the world and throughout history

Gale Virtual Reference
More than 100 special encyclopedias covering all subjects

Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
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Overview of contemporary social issues with relevant articles, videos, opposing views, and more
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
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Full text dictionaries, encyclopedias, and subject reference works from Oxford University Press.
Pop Culture Universe This link opens in a new window
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Contemporary and 20th century popular culture sources.

Oxford Bibliographies - African American
Scholarly, annotated listing of the most important and significant sources on social sciences and humanities African American related topics.
Oxford Bibliographies - Asian Americans
Scholarly, annotated listing of the most important and significant sources on social sciences and humanities Asian American related topics.
Oxford Bibliographies - Latino Studies
Scholarly, annotated listing of the most important and significant sources on social sciences and humanities Latino related topics.

Sage Reference Online This link opens in a new window
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Encyclopedias and handbooks on many subjects.
Women and Social Movements, International This link opens in a new window
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Primary materials of women activists including personal letters, diaries, and conference proceedings of important international social movements.

UW Libraries Search

Use Google Scholar

Google Scholar
Use Google Scholar to locate background information. Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats.

Find Media

Media and Streaming
Information on finding and using video and streaming video at the UW Libraries.

Ethnographic Video Online This link opens in a new window
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Collection of classic and contemporary ethnographic documentaries

Encyclopedia of Daily Life

This bound reference source provides historical, social, political, economic, linguistic, religious, and other information.

UW Libraries Search & Beyond

Books are a great source for finding detailed information on an issue or topic. Use UW Libraries Search to find books and more.