Research Guides: Study Abroad: Preparing to Study Abroad

Preparing to Study Abroad

Studying abroad for the first time can be exciting but also daunting. This page will help you find tools and resources to make the transition easier. Use the tabs below to do some preliminary research about where you will be studying abroad. Understanding the history, culture, language, population, religion, and architecture of a country before you arrive will enable you to get the most out of your study abroad experience.

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General Information

Use the sources below to do a general search on the continent, country, or area you will be studying abroad in. These sources usually provide broad overviews on the history and culture of that area. Be sure to check the reference list of each book or entry for more in-depth sources.

Gale eBooks Reference Library
Encyclopedias and reference sources that cover a variety of topics.

News

Use this database to find historical news about the area you will be studying in. This resource can be especially helpful if you are considering writing your thesis or doing an extensive research project on something about the country you are studying in. It can also be a useful way to read more about social movements, economic issues, or protests that might have happened in the area.

Access World News
Contains diverse global, local, regional, and national perspectives on topics related to controversial issues, the environment, health, education, science, the arts, literature, business, economics, criminal justice, and more from a variety of current and retrospective news media including newspapers, newswires, broadcast transcripts, blogs, videos, periodicals, and web-only content. Includes electronic access to the Charlotte Observer (1886-present), in addition to many local North Carolina newspapers.
Nexis Uni
Nexis Uni features more than 17,000 news, business, and legal sources—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. With an intuitive interface that offers quick discovery across all content types, students can create individual user IDs and passwords to enable the setting of alerts, and saving searches and documents of interest. Collaboration tools make it easy for students to team up on research projects efficiently.
Use is restricted to current faculty and staff and currently-enrolled students of Davidson College only.

Data

Data can give you useful information about the country you will be studying in. You can explore data on the country's economic growth, industries, production, education, population, crime, and development. Browsing this data beforehand will help you better understand some of your experiences while you're abroad.

CIA World Factbook
(Current edition) Provides concise information, including geographic, demographic, and economic data, for over 250 countries. Prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Some earlier editions are also archived online from the US GPO.
UNdata
Contains official statistics produced by countries as well as statistics, estimates, projections, indicators, and other data from United Nations Statistics and Population Divisions and other United Nations agencies. Subjects covered include agriculture, crime, education, energy, industry, labor, national accounts, population, and tourism.
World DataBank
(1960 - present) Time series data on a variety of topics related to developing countries; includes World Development Indicators. From the World Bank.

Travel Guides

Travel guides often provide maps, navigation tips, and information about interesting historical or tourist sights. If Davidson's Library does not own a specific travel guide, you can submit an interlibrary loan request.

When researching the culture of your host country, keep in mind these questions:

Where does your current knowledge of your host country's culture come from?
How do people of other cultures learn about your own culture?

This page lists some resources to help you find general information on your host country's culture. But remember, perceptions of culture can stem from a variety of sources, such as popular media, journalism, word-of-mouth, direct experience, etc.

Helpful Starting Points

International Etiquette Guides
Centre for Intercultural Learning: Country Insights
Culture and Customs (Book Series)
This book series covers on the cultures of various countries. It contains especially rich information on religion, gender & family, and day to day social customs. Davidson has the majority of the series online through the Ebsco ebook Collection although some of the collection can be found in ebrary.

Reference Resources on Culture

Countries and Their Cultures by Melvin Ember; Carol R. Ember
ISBN: 0028658965
Publication Date: 2003-11-01
Looks at culture by country rather than ethnicity. Also has historical, political, and demographic information on each country
Encyclopedia of World Cultures by Macmillan Reference
Call Number: Main Library Reference: R 306 E56
ISBN: 081688840X
Publication Date: 1991-01-01
check the library catalog

Transparent Language Online
Transparent Language Online provides a fun, effective, and engaging experience for learners of all levels looking to build their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a foreign language. Combining robust courses, supplemental vocabulary, extensive grammar resources, and mobile apps, Transparent Language Online is the most complete language-learning system. With over 110 languages to choose from, including English for speakers of over 30 languages, there is something for every learner.

Study Abroad FAQ
Learn more about how to study abroad at Davidson
Pre-Departure Tips
Tips for getting the most out of your study abroad experience
Credit Transfer Information
Information from the Davidson Study Abroad Office about how credits might transfer
Students Abroad
From the US Department of State, travel documents, health information, travel tips, and more.
Travelers' Health
From the CDC, health information for travelers, including vaccines, staying healthy during your trip, and illness prevention.