Library FAQ

Background research helps develop a more effective topic as well as brainstorm for better search terms or keywords.

• Your instructor is a great resource! They understand your assignment and can provide great advice about the topic and how to frame it.
• Come to the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Library and talk to a librarian or chat, email or text a librarian at Ask a Librarian!
• If there are journals related to the general area you are studying, look through recent tables of contents for ideas and background information on possible topics. You can also browse our Research Guides to find suggested journals and databases for your subject.
• Reference books and subject encyclopedias are useful for developing your topic and finding keywords because they contain brief scholarly entries related to a discipline. Search for encyclopedias & dictionaries in the Library Catalog.

Here are a few useful databases for exploring potential topics:

• Credo Reference (Credo) - Full-text subject encyclopedias, reference works, dictionaries, and handbooks in all disciplines. 
• CQ Researcher (SAGE Publications)- Reports on key issues in the U.S.Congress from 1923 to the present. Includes a searchable archive by keyword, date, or subject.
• Opposing Viewpoints: Gale In Context (Gale) - Controversial contemporary topic summaries and overviews of current issues.