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COM 3070 - Professional Communication for Executives

Background Information

Before you can start any research on your topic, you must have a background knowledge of it. Books and websites can provide you with that knowledge.

This is important because:

  1. Background sources give you the language that people are using to discuss your topic. You will use this language when you start to search databases for scholarly articles and resources on the topic.
  2. This "pre-research" gives you a sense if your topic is focused enough. If your initial searches bring back so many results you can't even figure out what the language is, then you should consider narrowing your topic.

 

Content from IUPUI University Library Subject Guide Template is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Websites & Library Search Tools

Your background research may include finding biographies about famous or notable figures on your topic. There are many options for biographies on the web.

 

The Evans Library also provides access to two academic "reference" collections that contain articles, books, and reports from sources like encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks: