Not quite an expert on your subject? Think a little background reading on your topic will help you make more careful decisions about the accuracy of other information you've found? Try an encyclopedia!

A - Z Encyclopedia
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/homeworkhelp/homework_help_home.html
Free access to selected articles on history, geography, and science. From "Discovery Channel School, original content provided by World Book Online

Britannica Online
Access for BCC students, faculty and staff only: card needed.

Catholic Encyclopedia
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/
New Advent's online version of the 1908 resource is valuable as much as a resource for history and philosophy as for religion. BCC has the 1968 edition in hard cover in the Reference section.

Credo Reference
A collection of several hundred encyclopedias, dictionaries and reference materials.  Access for BCC students, faculty and staff only: card needed.

Gale Virtual Reference
A collection of Gale encyclopedias and other reference resources including the Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, Encyclopedia of Everyday Life, Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece, Encyclopedia of Multicultural America, Encyclopedia of Cancer, and many more. Access for Massachusetts residents.  BCC students, faculty and staff only: card needed.