Reference sources are great for getting a quick overview of a topic, as well as finding key names, dates, terms, and subtopics. The following databases contain general and subject specific encyclopedias. You can search and read entries from thousands of sources.
For a complete list of online library reference sources go to the A to Z Database list, click the dropdown menu All Database Types, and select Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Handbooks & Indexes.
What's in the news? What are some topics that are trending? The following databases can give you a quick overview of a topic, as well as outlining current viewpoints and arguments.
Academic books are also a good resource, providing in-depth coverage of a topic. You can consult particular chapters or sections of a book when developing your research question/thesis. SDSU library has a large collection of both print and eBooks. Checkout this guide on searching for books and eBooks.
From suffrage to the Senate: America's political women: an encyclopedia of leaders, causes & issues
Women's rights in the United State: a comprehensive encyclopedia of issues, events, and people
Political and historical encyclopedia of women
Democratizing the enemy: the Japanese American internment (also in print on the 3rd floor books, D769.8 A6 H39 2004).
Japanese Americans: from relocation to redress
And justice for all: an oral history of the Japanese American detention camps
