Use reference books or search the references databases for encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and more. Great for background material! If you read articles from encyclopedias before you read scholarly journal articles, you will have a better chance of understanding the specialized vocabulary that is often used.
Starting with this kind of background information also helps you:
Keywords are the main ideas or concepts of your topic question. Keep a list of these words because you will use them when searching for information on your topic. Brainstorm related terms, broader terms and/or narrower terms related to your topic in order to expand your searching.
When searching, string your keywords together with “and” rather than entering the entire research question. Mix and match terms depending on results.
Example: coffee and memory and undergraduates