RELG 237: Graphic Religion: The Ethics of Representation (HC): Background Information

      Part of a series from the Christian publisher, Tyndale House (available for noncommercial reuse from flickr)

The following sources provide overviews of religious groups and their practices in the United States.  These resources are a quick way for you to find out the basic facts and recent scholarly interpretations.

When using an article in an encyclopedia or handbook, always check the bibliography for further reading at the end of the article. It will provide a selective list of the books, articles, and, frequently, Web resources considered to be the most up-to-date and reliable.

Literature reviews are a particularly useful resource when doing research.  They address the issues involved in a particular question and the debates among scholars.  They map out the intellectual terrain succinctly and give you the major landmarks in terms of key authors and significant titles for greater understanding.