Background sources such as, but not limited to, dictionaries and encyclopedias provide context for your topic or even help you choose one. Researchers use them when they need:
Encyclopedia, dictionary and biographical entries from hundreds of sources for most subject areas. It includes images, diagrams, maps and photos, and audio pronunciation files and sound clips. Coverage 2000 – present.
Encyclopedia and dictionary entries for most subject areas. Dates covered: latest edition of each title.
Encyclopedia entries and images for art. Includes Grove Art Online, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Coverage: varies.