ENG 145.1 (Friedman)

Background research is the process of learning the basics of your topic. This often takes the shape of learning about the "who, what, where, when" -- what are the important figures, events, and ideas that helped shape what you are writing about? For many students, this is an opportunity to further develop your topic and learn what, exactly, interests you in it.

Whether you are using Credo, Wikipedia, or a different tool altogether, remember that in this first part, you aren't necessarily looking for sources to cite. Your first task as a researcher is learning what questions to ask.