Search for background information, using general reference resources:
To change the language, use the selection drop-down in the upper right corner of any Credo page.
The results will primarily be in English, but the search is supported in several languages.
Step 2 of the research process often involves finding an overview of a topic, checking facts and data, checking dates of significant events, or looking up definitions of specialized terms. Step 2 can also help you test your research question to see if it is too broad or to narrow.
Like the roots of a tree, background information is not always visible but it does play an important role in your research. While Google can be helpful in this regard, you may find some of the UC Merced Reference Databases useful for definitions and background information. Spending time on this step of the process can help give you valuable context that will help you with other steps like searching for research and writing about your topic.
Tip: Background information is often called "reference information" in libraries and library databases. Reference information is also called a "tertiary source."
Provides access to a collection of reference books including encyclopedias, dictionaries, measurement conversions and more. For Chrome browser users, follow this link to troubleshoot a known issue.
Access to 25 peer-reviewed, up-to-date encyclopedias spanning a variety of disciplines, including Social Work and Classics.
Nearly 40,000 records of the literary works of approximately 300 American writers from the period of the Revolution to 1930.
A comprehensive resource for research on literary topics, authors, and their works. Gateway to Literature Resource Center, Twayne's Authors Online Series and Scribner Writers Online Series.
A collection of over 50 Oxford handbooks whose essays explore and critique poetry, prose, verse, and drama produced in the British Isles and North America.
Check out this short video (2:23) from Suffolk County Community College Library to understand how primary, secondary, and tertiary sources vary by discipline.
In addition to being a great place to start exploring an unfamiliar topic, Wikipedia is considered a tertiary source. Writers of tertiary sources synthesize information from secondary sources and strive to report them in a tone that is as unbiased and neutral as possible.
Some tertiary sources are cited in academic research and others are not. This practice varies by discipline so contact your instructor or a librarian with questions!
Long description of "Using Wikipedia for Research" for web accessibility
Thanks to IUPUI University Library for allowing reuse of this graphic under a Creative Commons license.
Use ChatGPT with caution and verify everything you see there. Much like Wikipedia, the information is not necessarily vetted by professionals or experts. It may be good at some tasks, but in other circumstances can create false information, especially fake citations!
Let's compare these tools by asking, "What is a poop deck?"
Image Source: cruisemummy.co.uk. All rights reserved. Used under fair use for educational purposes only.
| ChatGPT |
"The poop deck is a nautical term for a raised, flat platform at the rear (stern) of a ship. It is typically located on the highest and farthest back part of the ship's upper deck. The poop deck is an elevated area that offers a good vantage point for the ship's officers and crew to observe activities on the deck below and to have a clear view of the sea. It often serves as a command center for the ship's captain and officers, providing a strategic position for overseeing navigation and other ship operations. In addition to its practical functions, the poop deck also has historical and symbolic significance in maritime tradition. It is often associated with the captain's quarters and represents authority and command on the ship. The term "poop deck" itself has nautical origins and is derived from the French word "poupe," meaning stern, which was later anglicized." OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Sep 21 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/share/9a94d02b-7174-47ad-bee1-afa78d34cf8a |
| Wikipedia | "In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or "aft", part of the superstructure of a ship.[1]
The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis. Thus the poop deck is technically a stern deck, which in sailing ships was usually elevated as the roof of the stern or "after" cabin, also known as the "poop cabin" (or simply the poop[2]). On sailing ships, the helmsman would steer the craft from the quarterdeck, immediately in front of the poop deck. At the stern, the poop deck provides an elevated position ideal for observation.[3] While the main purpose of the poop is adding buoyancy to the aft, on a sailing ship the cabin was also used as an accommodation for the shipmaster and officers.[2] On modern, motorized warships, the ship functions which were once carried out on the poop deck have been moved to the bridge, usually located in a superstructure." |
| Credo Reference (a library subscription resource) |
"[A] raised deck built on the stern of a ship above the main deck. Plural: poop decks"
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With this particular topic (poop decks), both ChatGPT and Wikipedia out-performed the library subscription resource, Credo Reference. However, whether you can cite to these tools depends on 1) what your instructor will allow, and 2) what is typical or usual for the field/discipline you are working in.
ChatGPT is NOT considered a dictionary or other reference work, but instead is a large language model, like a giant "auto complete" for predicting the next word in a string of text.
In many disciplines, it is not common practice to cite to tertiary sources like encyclopedias or dictionaries. As a student however, to avoid plagiarism, it is better to cite a source when in doubt.
In general, even if there are ways to cite things like ChatGPT or Twitter, you need to ask if your instructor will accept non-scholarly sources for your assignment. You should also consider the audience you are writing for and whether these citations will boost or detract from your credibility.
What is considered background information 
and whether to cite it can vary by discipline. If you're not sure what it is or where to find it, check out this YouTube video on primary, secondary, and tertiary sources from Suffolk County Library.
Are you citing background information in your research paper/project? You can always check with your instructor to see if that is acceptable for the assignment or within your discipline/major.
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