ENGL 102: Lundberg, M. (Spring 2025): Finding background information

Why use background sources?

Background sources can give you a general overview of your topic and can point you to more specific research. They can also help you identify relevant names, places, ideas, and dates to use as search terms. In addition, they can help you to brainstorm ideas for narrowing a very broad topic to a point of interest.

Try searching the following database for information about large language models (LLMs):

Overview of artificial intelligence (AI)

The following article from Points of View Reference Center provides a broad overview and history of artificial intelligence (AI), as well important definitions.

Once you've found general background information on LLMs/AI/gAI, you may find that you would like more in-depth background information. One way is to find books that you can check out at the TCC Library or e-books that you can read online. You can search the library catalog for print and electronic books by doing a keyword search (e.g., large language models, AI, or generative AI) by clicking the link below.

Click the link below to search for books in the library catalog:

Search tips:

1. Type in your keywords in the search box and click the "Search" button
2. Take note of the format of the results. You can narrow down to print books or e-books by clicking one of the boxes.
3. Take note of the publication date range. You can narrow down results to a specific data range.
4. Click the title of the book for more detailed info
5. Take note of the format of the book. An e-book will have an "E" icon; a print book will have a book icon.
6. If it's an e-book, then you can click the "Electronic access" link to read the book online.
7. You can also text any book record to yourself.

Overview of generative AI (gAI)

The following article, "Artificial Intelligence: Can the dangers be constrained?" (2024), from the Library's CQ Researcher database provides a brief overview of generative AI (note that LLMs are a type of generative AI). If you wish to use this article for your research, you will find the citation generator under the "Tools" button at the bottom. You will also find a direct link to the article at the bottom of this box.