These sources background information and overviews of topics, people, places, events:
The Web itself is like a huge encyclopedia, and is a good source for background information, especially on businesses and organizations of all kinds.
Use this general encyclopedia from MSN (Microsoft Network) for background information on most topics. A dictionary and atlas (maps) are included. There are many other encyclopedias freely available on the Web.
Use a search engine, such as Google, to locate Web sites of organizations and companies. Most commercial and non-profit organizations, large and small, provide useful background (mission statement, annual reports, publications, news, etc.) on their Web sites.
This is a free encyclopedia that is built by volunteers who write articles on various topics, which can then be edited and/or discussed by other readers. It contains more than 1 million articles on a wide variety of topics. Because there is no professional monitoring of this content, you should try to verify information found here in other sources.
Yahoo! DirectoryUse a large Web directory like Yahoo! to locate specialized, topical Web sources that will provide background information on your research topic. For example, a search for keywords "philosophy encyclopedia" in Yahoo! found the source shown in the illustration below.
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This online database provides background information on a broad range of scientific disciplines through extensive definitions, essays, diagrams, biographies, and experiments; includes many images, videos and illustrations.
World Book WebThis resource includes an online multimedia encyclopedia (with video, audio, animations), dictionary, and atlas.
This database is a bio-bibliographical guide to current writers in fiction, general nonfiction, poetry, journalism, drama, motion pictures, television.
OhioLINK Electronic Book Center Hundreds of special-topic reference books – encyclopedias, handbooks, biographical collections, guides – from ABC-CLIO, an educational reference publisher, are included in this collection. Search for words and phrases across all of the books in the collection or use the advanced search to limit your search to a particular subject area.
Another online, searchable collection of reference books useful for finding background information on many topics.
Browse this Wikipedia article on acupuncture. Be sure to click on the "Discussion" tab at the top of the article to see reader comments.
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