Wikipedia might be a good starting place but there are better places we can go to learn more about our topics. These databases are reference databases. Just like how you might go to an encyclopedia or dictionary to get some background information, these databases are a great place to start your research, develop those KEYWORDS (or words you might use to do your searches in the databases) and are more reliable than online popular sources.
Caution: Many professors do not want you to use these sources in your papers. Check with your professor for their specific guidelines.