Items in the Reference collection, particularly subject encyclopedias, are great starting points for your research. Encyclopedia articles offer concise overviews of a topic, summaries of key research in a particular discipline, and often include a bibliography which can serve as a starting list of sources for your project. Dictionaries and thesauri are also great resources. Look for both book and electronic versions.
NOTE: You can search the USC Libraries with the Call Number; click on See all versions for access to online and on-campus options.