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KNPE 167: Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Sport and Physical Activity

Background Information

A good way to begin your research is to find sources of background information. This is especially important if you are unfamiliar with the subject area.

Use encyclopedias, handbooks and dictionaries to:

  • Gain an overview of the subject
  • Identify more specific aspects of the topic
  • Provide context and theory
  • Identify experts related to the field
  • Find keywords and subject-specific vocabulary terms that can be used for database searches
  • Find bibliographies that lead to additional resources

Reference works

Encyclopedias

Consult authoritative encyclopedias, such as the one listed below, to get a broad overview of a subject, a concise overview of a concept, school of thought or person.

Handbooks

Use handbooks to locate in-depth articles written by noted experts. Handbooks typically offer thorough introductions to topics and a critical survey of the current state of scholarship in a particular field.

Selected handbooks include:

Oxford Handbooks Online includes the following handbooks:

Bibliographies

Use bibliographies to find a comprehensive list of sources on a specific topic or a selective list of key works on a topic.

Oxford Bibliographies Online (OBO). Search for your broad topic across the OBO platform. Useful essays include:

Dictionaries

Provide authoritative definitions of words, concepts, etc.