Context context context!  When writing research papers, providing contextual information is essential to situate a topic, bring it to life, and make it more meaningful to your reader.  We have several new reference books that are excellent resources for compiling background information on a variety of subjects. 

It can be intimidating to begin research on a topic that has a long, complicated history.  For example, those interested in Middle Eastern affairs may want to learn more about the Arab-Israeli conflict.  Learn the back story.  Take a look at the e-book, Middle East Conflict Reference Library.    Find much-needed background information dating back to the nineteenth century and beyond. Large segments of time are quickly summarized to provide a better sense of the parameters of the topic.

Or perhaps you are exploring issues of race as a social construction.  The Gale Encyclopedia of Race and Racism 2 ed. covers modern racism with a focus on the 1400’s to the present (see the first edition for more extensive historical coverage).  Explore the economic, religious, social, historical, and political underpinnings of racism from a global perspective.

To find these reference e-books, go to the  Palomar College Library Homepage, click on Articles and select Gale Virtual Reference.  For off-campus access, a Palomar College e-services id and password are required.  If you have questions about this or any other database, please contact Tamara Weintraub, Collections Management Librarian.