Encyclopedias and other reference books are an excellent starting point for your research. They can help you come up with topic ideas, narrow your topic, get background information on your topic, and identify keywords to use when searching for books and articles.
Try searching the following database to find information from online reference books (from off campus, you will be prompted to log in with your Pipeline username and password), or stop by the library to look at the print reference books listed below.
The following tutorial examines how to identify, find, and use background information to help you choose and/or refine your topic (from off campus you will need to log in using your Pipeline username and password):