Research Guides: ENGL 101/102: Background information and exploring your topic

Background information

Constructing a Research Question and Exploring Your Topic

At this stage of your research, you’re exploring. What sources can help you learn more about your topic, so that you can narrow it down into a “working research question” with a clear purpose?

Use this page to learn about sources to help you gather information that you can use to write a proposal -- or help you learn more about aspects of your research as you continue to discover more about your topic.

Background information intro video

Best Bets -- Library databases for background information

Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
Opposing Viewpoints is the online resource covering today's hottest social issues. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
Global Issues (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
Integrating news, global viewpoints, reference, country information, primary source documents, videos, statistics, and more in a single search, Global Issues In Context brings essential, balanced information to researchers across many academic disciplines, as well as newsworthy topics.
Environmental Studies (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
Formerly GREENR: Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources, it is interactive and current, allowing users to navigate issue, organization and country portals. It's Gale's one-stop site dedicated to studying sustainability and the environment.
ProQuest One Academic This link opens in a new window
Combines all four of ProQuest’s multidisciplinary products on the ProQuest platform: ProQuest Central, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, Academic Complete, and Academic Video Online.
Academic Search Premier from EBSCOhost This link opens in a new window
A leading multidisciplinary research database. It provides acclaimed full-text journals, magazines, and other valuable resources from 1970 to the present time.
Statista Expert This link opens in a new window
Statista provides statistical data on many topics including media, business, politics, society, technology and education. Sources include market reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. Charts can be downloaded in PNG, PowerPoint, Excel or PDF formats or embedded in web pages and can be great in papers or presentations.
Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Covers hundreds of topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), and counterpoint (opposing argument).

Best bets -- Newspapers for background information

New York Times Online This link opens in a new window
Important: You must register using your NJIT UCID username/email to obtain access to NYTimes Online. NJIT students, faculty, and staff have 24/7 unlimited access including mobile access to the latest news with the ability to save and set up alerts on articles from 1851 to the present. Limited access to archive content: 5 articles per day for content from 1851 to 2002. This includes access to the InEducation academic resources or learning tools.
Wall Street Journal Online (Dow Jones) This link opens in a new window
Online access to the Wall Street Journal with articles going back four years rolling. Business, economy, technology, and finance are covered in detail. Other topics covered include arts and culture, lifestyle, real estate, personal finance, health, science, style, and sports. Signup for newsletters and alerts from the WSJ too. The site includes videos, audio files, and podcasts.

Check out the Library's A-Z Database list for additional newspapers as well as databases that search across thousands of newspapers.

Examples of finding background information

Example 1

if you are exploring a research question on the impact of technology on some aspect of society, start by searching and exploring sources:

Technology and Society from the Opposing Viewpoints database. This resource gives a lot of narrower topic ideas on this very broad subject

Example 2

if you are interested in learning more about social media use and mental health, you might search Academic Search Premier to see a wide variety of newspaper, magazine and research articles such as:

Magazine article:

Chen, A. (2018). Social Notworking: Is Generation Smartphone Really More Prone to Unhappiness? (Cover story). Scientific American Mind, 29(2), 18–21.

Research article:

Cingel, D. P., Lauricella, A. R., Taylor, L. B., Stevens, H. R., Coyne, S. M., & Wartella, E. (2022). U.S. adolescents’ attitudes toward school, social connection, media use, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Differences as a function of gender identity and school context. PLoS ONE, 17(10), 1–17.

Example 3

If you are looking for information on barriers to adopting self-driving cars, search for books in the NJIT Library collection. Here are some examples of print and online library books on "autonomous vehicles":

Product development within artificial intelligence, ethics and legal risk: exemplary for same autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles: technologies, regulations and societal impacts

Autonorama: the illusory promise of high-tech driving

More strategies for finding background information

Search for books

Books can be a great source of background information. Search the NJIT Library for books on your topic -- both print and electronic. Go to the "Books" tab on the NJIT Library website.

Search for government information

The federal government is the largest publisher in the U.S.

Append "site:.gov" to a websearch to find information published by federal, state and local government agencies. The search "food waste" and site:.gov on google finds background information from the USDA on this topic.

Search for organizations interested in your topic

What professional or trade organizations might have an interest in your topic? Are you writing about mental health and social media? A web search for mental health and social media organization turns up multiple organizations that are concerned with this issue.

Discussion questions

What types of background sources are your go-to sources?

Which source or strategy that is new-to-you will you try first and why?

Why would it be important to use multiple sources of background information?

Background information -- learn a litte more about it

Want to learn more about why background information will help you write a great paper?

Read through Why Background Research Helps -- a one page guide from the College of Charleston Libraries.

Watch the video How to Find Background Information from Oakton Library -- watch until 1:23 to get a sense of how finding background information can help you to be part of a conversation on an issue, topic, reserach project, etc.

Consult the infographic Finding Background Information from the University of Louisville.