Research Guides: Trenton Homeworks: Social Justice Research Fundamentals: Background Sources

Background Reading

Before you can construct an effective argument, you must first have a solid understanding of your topic. As you read, take notes on key themes and ideas that you can use to research further.

What kinds of information will you need?
Background Information is crucial to understanding your issue. This includes:

Important definitions of words and concepts associated with your topic
Important people, dates, events (who / what / where / when)

Reference sources are a great place to start your research. These resources provide a broad overview of your topic (the who, what, where, when, and why). Types of material include encyclopedias, almanacs, and dictionaries, or even sites like Wikipedia.

Recommended Resources from the Web

Below is a small selection of valuable resources to get started.

Balletopedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States.
Brittanica
The free version of the world's oldest continuously published encyclopedia available online.
Pew Research Center
A nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the world.
ProCon.org
From Britannica - explore both sides of highly-debated issues. Presented in a non-partisan format with supporting background information, statistics, and resources.
Explore US Census Data
From the Census Bureau - search interface for accessing and disseminating data and digital content from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Wex, from the Legal Information Institute
Wex is a free legal dictionary and encyclopedia sponsored and hosted by the Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School. Wex entries are collaboratively created and edited by legal experts.

Can I use Wikipedia? Yes! Wikipedia is an excellent resources for gaining a basic understanding of a current topic. As with any reference source, you should not directly quote evidence from Wikipedia into your paper, but you may use it to inform the direction of your research.

What about ChatGPT or other AI sources? If you are using AI as a starting point to gain some basic knowledge on your topic, or a list of resources to explore, use with caution. Remember that AI platforms are not objective, and may not always provide factual information either. Bias in your initial question can lead to bias in the results. Remember that you must cite any AI prompts that you use.