Encyclopedias are GREAT resources to get background information like names, dates, people, and major events. Encyclopedia articles (like Wikipedia but in scholar-authored books) provide overviews of topics, so you can find keywords and other clues to lead you on searches to more in-depth, scholarly information. For example, it might reveal the name of a major politician involved in your topic; you can search for that politician to learn more about their position on your topic, legislation they were involved in, etc. Each encyclopedia will take a different focus.

These library databases contain digital copies of encyclopedias. The articles found within contain broad overviews can be used to identify timelines, events, and people that can be used to structure your research plan and discover additional sources. See below for examples of specific encyclopedias.

The best way to find an encyclopedia article in Search It is to try your keywords, and then click on: Reference Entries and Full-Text Online on the left side. You'll see the title of the article at the top, and the name of the full encyclopedia below it. It will also say "Reference Entry." Below are links to a search for: united states territorial expansion with those limiters, and also a more specific entry for Manifest Destiny.