Encyclopedias and other reference tools are a great way to understand the breadth of a topic. An encyclopedia is a good starting place to learn about a topic that's new to you and to find out how scholars talk about your topic. While encyclopedias should not be used as a source in a research paper, the bibliography that follows each entry is often a treasure trove of useful sources.
*Example: Wikipedia entry for "Atlantic World"
From Randolph Community College Library
