Geography (UNH Durham)

Scholarly articles are really just a conversation between researchers over time.

Research helps you join that conversation by learning:

• what information scholars agree on (background information), and
• what researchers are talking about now (current articles and books).

That way you can build on their work and add something new.

What is background information?

Background information is information that scholars generally agree on. You can find it in your textbook, or in specialized encyclopedias, handbooks, or general knowledge sources.

Why look for background information?

"My professor told me to use journal articles! Why would I look for information I can't cite in my paper?"

Background information will give you a good general idea of what's known on your topic. PLUS, it uses terms that will help you search for relevant articles!