LibGuides: Human Service Work-General: Background Sources

Background Information

After you've chosen a topic to research, you will need to search for information that will introduce you to the topic. Background sources provide you with:

Background Sources

Background sources, also known as reference sources, include encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories, and other online or print "books". You might want to consult one or more of them when you're first starting your research, especially if the topic you are researching is unfamiliar to you. They can be excellent sources of factual information, concepts, theories, definitions, terminology and references to other, more in-depth, sources of information.

See example of a handbook below.

The Substance Abuse Handbook by Pedro Ruiz; Eric C. Strain; John G. Langrod
Call Number: RC 564.15 .R85 2007
ISBN: 9780781760454
Publication Date: 2007-04-26
The Substance Abuse Handbook succinctly presents the most clinically relevant information from Lowinson, Ruiz, Millman and Langrod's Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook, Fourth Edition. In a user-friendly format, this portable handbook provides all the information health care professionals need to diagnose and treat addictive disorders and associated medical conditions. Major sections cover etiological factors, substances of abuse, compulsive and addictive behaviors, evaluation and diagnostic classification, treatment modalities, management of associated medical conditions, substance abuse in children, adolescents, and the elderly, women's issues, special groups and settings, models of prevention, training and education, and policy issues.

General Encyclopedias

Canadian Encyclopedia (E-Book) This link opens in a new window
Digital interactive version of The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia contains more than 35,000 articles in English and French and more than 30,000 multimedia items including images, maps, games, audio and video. The new interactive features include curated content exhibits, interactive timelines, immediate updates of important events and a user-generated content map that invites Canadians to share their stories.
Oxford English Dictionary (OED) (E-book) This link opens in a new window
The OED online provides definitions and historical & etymological analysis on english language words. Also includes variant spellings and phonetic pronunciations.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) provides the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over half a million words, from the past and the present, in the English language. The online version is based on the 20-volume 2nd edition, and is the ultimate authority on the English language. Words are traced back to their first appearance in the language, with illustrative quotes provided.
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
Online dictionaries, encyclopedias, & other reference works covering: archaeology, art, classical studies, history, languages, law, linguistics, literature, media studies, nursing and health, philosophy, religion, science and technology, social sciences, social work.

Using Internet Sources - A place to start but not to finish

Using Google to start your research process is a good way to get general information quickly. You can use websites, blogs, and Wikipedia to get general ideas about a topic, and to help frame your research strategy.

However, the problem with internet sources is that it's difficult to verify the information. Starting your research on Google is fine, but use the library resources to complete your search!

Tips for using Wikipedia

1) Use the "Reference" section at the bottom to see where the information came from. These may be quality sources you can use for your research.

2) Scroll through the page to find key people and concepts (which may be highlighted links). These can be used as search terms and additional exploring.

3) Use highlighted links to jump to related pages, to help give you a sense of the bigger picture.