Get background information, an overview of your topic and facts about your topic from e-books such as encyclopedias. Below are databases to search for background information.
These reports, created by experts in CRS for use by members of Congress, provide detailed information on all sides of a topic. The CRS Reports website is searchable by topic. In addition, the CRS Reports page provides an Appropriations Status table and links to additional information on CRS.
In 2018, Congress passed legislation requiring the the Congressional Research Service (CRS) make its reports available to the public. By clicking the search button one can see a list of all of the reports that are currently available online and limit by topic, date or author.
Concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects.
Very Short Introductions can change the way you think about the things that interest you, and are the perfect introduction to subjects you previously knew nothing about: from Climate to Consciousness, Game Theory to Ancient Warfare, Privacy to Islamic History, Globalization to Literary Theory. Very Short Introductions online bringing together titles from this well-known and established print series, via a highly discoverable and fully cross-searchable platform.
In-depth, peer-reviewed summaries in 25 subject encyclopedias on a range of subjects such as American History, Climate Science, and Politics.
With today’s overabundance of information, and misinformation, students and researchers alike can be overwhelmed in identifying what’s trustworthy, what’s up-to-date, and what’s accurate. Oxford University Press has invested in the Oxford Research Encyclopedias to meet this challenge. Working with international communities of scholars across all fields of study, we are developing new comprehensive collections of in-depth, peer-reviewed summaries on an ever-growing range of topics.