Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works can help you to discover basic information about a topic - names, dates, definitions, summaries, related terms that describe it, etc. These are good places to start when beginning research on an unfamiliar subject and when choosing a paper topic.
A sampling of subject-specific reference works that may be useful for researching creation myths or origin stories.
Visit the library's Research Guides site and use the By Subject link to browse all of the guides by subject area. Most guides have a Background Info tab/section that includes a list of specialized reference resources, print and electronic, that are useful for looking up terms, concepts, and finding basic information for that subject area.