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Research Guides

book cover: enc of radio book jacket: Encyclopedia of children, adolescents, and the media  book jacket: movies in american history  

Encyclopedias help you figure out the who, what & where of a topic. Knowing the who, what & where of a topic is the first step in researching a topic and discovering the "how" and "why". Encyclopedias and dictionaries can provide background information and can be used to identify key people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information. Many also provide a jumpstart on your research by listing related readings.​  Both print and online encyclopedias are listed below.

Three online encyclopedia collections: Gale Virtual Reference Pop Culture Universe  & Oxford Reference Online 

History Background

Technologies Background