When you are first getting started with a topic, it's useful to acquire some preliminary information so you fully understand what it is you want to know. Secondary sources, which in the sciences provide background information on a topic, can take many forms (your textbook, encyclopedias, point-of-care tools, popular media, etc.) and can help you:
After exploring the secondary literature, you will have a better idea of what sorts of primary sources you should be looking for to help you answer your research question.
Use the boxes below to explore different types of secondary sources.
For Science news and ideas for topics --
Technology --
Read summaries of research in—
Bacterial Stress Responses by 
Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology by 
Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia by 