Background sources are written for a general audience and are intended to give an overview of a topic, fill gaps in the reader’s knowledge, and provide context for deeper understanding. Examples include Wikipedia, introductory textbooks, and reference works such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks.
When working on a new research topic, it is often helpful to begin with these three questions,
· What research question you want to answer in this paper?
· How to narrow down to specific topic?
· What are the available USEFUL resources for your topic?
Beginning with reading a basic overview of the subject is often a good start.
Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide such overviews to help you familiarize with relevant vocabulary and to provide useful suggestions for further readings.
Resources for East Asian Language and Thought
by Charles Muller, Professor from University of Tokyo
It provides some valuable resources related to Muller's own research in Chinese thoughts, and translation of some East Asian religious texts.
In addition to the print books in the science library, there are thousands of e-books accessible through in OBIS. Just click on the ebooks tab to limit your search to books accessible online, in electronic or digital format.
You can search for all of our eBook content in Summon, or search specific the specific databases below.
Authoritative guide to reliable peer-reviewed resources and scholarship in African Studies, Buddhism, Latin American Studies, Linguistics, Medieval Studies, and Political Science. Bibliographies are selectively curated and annotated by expert academics and offer high-level overviews that provide non-experts with a point of entry into unfamiliar areas of study.