An excellent source for background information and getting started on a topic, CQ Researcher encompasses original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news. It offers in-depth, unbiased coverage of political and social issues.
Covers a wide range of topics including: health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, the U.S. economy, crime, and civil liberties.
Oxford 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.