ENG 111: College Composition I (Moore-Loudoun)

Encyclopedias are are great resources for gathering background information on your topic, as well as for:

• Defining important vocabulary words related to your topic,
• Finding a basic overview and main issues related to your topic, and
• Finding references to additional resources.

They are good resources to use in the beginning stages of your research for learning more about your topic, but they should not be part of your cited reference list.

Since encyclopedia articles focus on basic, general information about a topic, what you type in the search box should also be general:

YES:  "Video Games"

YES:  "Video Games" and "addiction"

NO:  How does video game addiction affect the socialization of teenagers?

Consider an encyclopedia you may have used in the past, such as Wikipedia. A "best practices" approach is to search the encyclopedia for a relevant article. Then, use the resource list at the end of the entry to consult the original sources. 

You can also consult an encyclopedia in our library, such as Britannica Academic. There is a website from the same publisher that could provide additional resources for your essay, Procon.org.