Before you can fully develop your thesis, you first need a general understanding of your topic. This can be information from classes, snippets you read online, or information acquired through reference resources. Some common reference resources include encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and almanacs.
Reference Resources are commonly used when looking for background information as they summarize the topic so it can be easily understood. These materials were initially designed to be mediated, and include materials like dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, almanacs, etc. However, reference resources tend to vary in how general or specific the information given is.
More often than not, background research is not used in your final product, but a starting point for you to learn more about the topic in order to pull search terms, often called keywords. Feel free to use some of the reference resource databases on the right side of the screen to learn about your intended research area and pull some keywords.
Keywords are words that relate to your research question and topic. Having a list of keywords will help you find resources during the search process. Spend some time brainstorming words that are connected to your topic. Record new words you come across during your background research and create lists of synonymous terms to use interchangeably when searching.
Try some of these strategies for brainstorming and recording keywords:
This will also help you begin to think intensely about your research topic and question, distilling what truly interests you.