Why is background information important?
Reference materials, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries, are great sources of background information.
Combines Encyclopdia Britannica and Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, plus magazines and periodicals, an atlas, biographies, e-books, and other tools.

Credo Reference is an e-reference database with hundreds of encyclopedia, topical dictionary, and handbook titles. Use Credo to start your research by gathering background information, finding key terms and concepts, and then connecting to scholarly articles.
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Scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text journals.
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Full-text, scholarly articles in physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, arts & humanities, and more. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times, 1995-present.
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A must-have for social science, history and liberal arts coursework, this collection includes hundreds of journal titles exploring cultural differences, contributions and influences in our global community.
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ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) is an authoritative database of education literature and resources sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education.
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This collection of journals aims to provide balanced coverage of this significant aspect of our culture, covering such topics as gender studies, family and marital issues, health aspects, and many more.
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Covers topics of philosophies and religions. Researchers will gain valuable insight about the impact religion has had on culture throughout history, including literature, arts, and language. Updated daily, this resource supports a broad range of topics from theological approaches to social issues.
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SKYCTC's electronic book collection, including fiction, nonfiction, and reference. Also searches our K-8 eBook collection. Academic titles are not discoverable in Library Search - doublecheck this database for eBooks on your topics.
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The Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL) has partnered with the University Press of Kentucky to make more than 1,300 titles freely available to KYVL member libraries, with a focus on the history and culture of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley region, the Upper South, and Appalachia. Browse the collection, then click the large Download button to access a title. DO NOT click Off-campus Download for UK only.
Type keywords in the Library Search box below to search most of the SKYCTC, KCTCS, and KYVL databases to find articles, books, and other resources.
Use your KCTCS email ID and password to access databases off campus.
If you are unable to login, try using Kentucky Virtual Library.
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