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Writing 120L: Writin' is Fightin'

This guide highlights resources for your research project(s) in WRIT 120 and how to get help from a librarian.

Why do background research?

It's important to familiarize yourself with a topic before you begin doing more specific and extensive research. 

Background research will help you:

  • Narrow your topic and focus your research question
  • Find historical information, trends, agreements and disagreements, related to the topic, and uncovers gaps in your knowledge
  • Learn the context of a topic -- the who, what, when, where, why, and how 
  • Uncover keywords you can use to do more extensive research
  • Find additional sources on your topic

Reference Databases

Useful Reference Books