Get Background Information - EDUC 1300 - Learning Framework (Patricia Ramirez) - Library Research Guides at El Paso Community College

Background Information

Now that you have a career in mind, find out some basic facts about that career. These facts are called "background information."

Background information provides you with some basic knowledge about your topic so that you can narrow down your topic if you need to or it can provide you with some words you can use as keywords in the next step.

For the topic of careers, some basic background information includes:

Name(s) of the career.
- Example: Business - This is too big. Be more specific. What career in business? (Accountant, Estimator, Financial Advisor, Human Resources, Logistician,...)
  - You can narrow this down by reading more about careers in the field of business.
- Example: Wedding Planner - This is good, but it might be so narrow that it is hard to find.
  - Background research will help you learn that another name for wedding planner is Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners.

Main Duties of the Job
- Example: Funeral Director
  - You may have a basic understanding of what the job includes, but background information will give you more knowledge and the correct wording to use to describe the job, qualifications, and education.
    - Example: Funeral Director - Mortician, Undertaker, Mortuary Science, Embalmer, ...

Helpful websites

Enter career in search box. Provides Information on - Tasks, Tools & Technology, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Work Activities, Work Context, Education, Interests, Work Styles, Work Values, Wages, and Trends.