History 217 - Decolonization In Africa: Background Information

Print reference (encyclopedias and dictionaries) and e-reference works are general information sources that provide background information on important individuals, as well as summaries of key concepts and traditions in a variety of disciplines.

Try this approach to identifying and developing your research topic:

• State your preliminary topic as a question.
• Pick out the keywords or main concepts in your question. 
• Look these up in subject encyclopedias and dictionaries to set the context for your research. 
• Continue to revise your question and choice of keywords as you pursue your search for information.

Try adding some of the following terms to your catalog search when doing historical research:

history, chronology, social life and customs, politics and government, kings and rulers, historiography