Background Information
Spend time to obtain background information about your topic. This will create a conceptual map for more focused research. Below are some resources.
If you consult publicly accessible web resources, first consult Web Resource Evaluation guide.
Wikipedia can be a useful *starting place* for research. See the materials that often appear at the bottom of a Wikipedia article. Here is a Wikipedia article about The Reliability of Wikipedia.
Encyclopedias
- Country StudiesThe Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowOxford Reference includes dictionaries, including authoritative dictionaries for many languages, encyclopedias, and companions, featuring more in-depth but still brief entries, e.g. Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization.
An Encyclopedia of War and Ethics by ISBN: 0313291160Publication Date: 1996-03-30Available electronically.- International Conflicts: a Chronological Encyclopedia of Conflicts and their Management, 1945-1995Call Number: FM Reference 909.825 B486i
Finding Background Information
- BBC News Country ProfilesGuide to the history, politics and economics of countries and territories.
- CIA World FactbookUpdated on a bi-weekly basis, the CIA Factbook, give a quick snapshot of each nation's demography, economy, government, geography, and other sectors such as transportation, communication, transportation and military.
- Foreign Affairs OnlineA major gateway to resources in international relations. Provides annotations and links.
- U.S. Department of State Background NotesFind facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.
- WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs ResourcesA major gateway to resources in international affairs. Provides annotations and links.