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What is Geography?
What is background information?
Background information provides basic facts, history, descriptions and concepts about your topic. Use only the information that you find useful in starting your research. You can always return to your sources if you need more in-depth information as you get deeper into your research topic.
4 Types of Geography
Physical Geography
Human Geography
Environmental Geography
GIS (Geographic Information Science)
Recommended databases for background information
Begin your research by looking up your keywords in an online dictionary, encyclopedia or reference book.
- Credo Reference - All Subjects Search This link opens in a new windowContains dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles.
- World Geography & Culture This link opens in a new windowProvides country geography and physical features, government, people, and society facts at a glance and in-depth coverage through country entries, maps, flags, images, statistics, news articles, a gazetteer, and more.
- GreenFILE This link opens in a new windowGreenFILE covers all aspects of human impact on the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.
- Gale Encyclopedia of Science This link opens in a new windowCovers all major areas of science, engineering, technology, as well as mathematics and the medical and health sciences, while providing a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge and technology. Entries typically describe scientific concepts, provide overviews of scientific areas and, in some cases, define terms.