Research Guides: MA Research Guide: Background Information

Start you research with reference sources.

Reference sources, encyclopedias, handbooks, etc. help you

Discover background information
Refine and narrow a research topic
Identify keywords that will help you search for other resources

Reference works are full of overview articles and are perfect starting points for your research. Not only do you get authoritative content, you also get a recommended reading list which will lead you to other high-quality content.

A Sample of Background Sources from OC Libraries

Black's Medical Dictionary by Harvey Marcovitch
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2018
A reference for all who need clear explanation of medical terms: nurses, health care professionals and students, health service management, actuaries, lawyers and journalists.
Communicable Diseases: A Global Perspective by Roger Webber
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2019
A comprehensive yet synoptic account of communicable diseases, it covers theory, epidemiology and control, then systematically groups diseases by their main means of transmission.
Dictionary of Medical Terms by P.H. Collins
Call Number: eBook
Includes terms from British and international medical practice covering fields such as surgery, general practice, hospitals, clinics, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and other specialisms. Also includes informal terms of the kind used between professionals or professionals and patients.
The Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing & Allied Health by Jacqueline L. Longe
Call Number: eBook
This encyclopedia will provide overview essays in five major subject areas: body systems and functions, issues and theories, techniques and practices, devices and equipment, and treatments and therapies.
Key Concepts in Health Studies by Chris Yuill; Iain Crinson; Eilidh Duncan
Call Number: eBook
Key Concepts in Health Studies provides a much needed guide to the central concepts used across the subject, and offers the reader a comprehensive overview of the core topics, theories and debates.

Electronic Background Sources from the Library

ScienceDirect (eBook Collection)
ScienceDirect contain dozens of health-related encyclopedias, along with journal articles and books. Encyclopedias may be searched separately.
Credo Reference (eBook Collection)
This online reference library includes 100 subject encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries, many of which include topics in health and medicine

Open Web Background Sources

MedlinePlus
U.S. National Library of Medicine resources for patient education.
FastStats
Quick and easy access to statistics and reports on a variety of health topics.

Wikipedia for Academic/Health Research

An introduction to using Wikipedia for Academic Research.

Wikipedia should only be used as a preliminary step in finding better background resources but it can be very useful for locating keywords or key phases, notable researchers or authorities on your topic, and reliable, high-quality resources. Use the references at the end of the article to locate those sources.

Wikipedia is not an appropriate source for healthcare decisions.