ArgumentationCA
210,
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Jan
Sauer 06/05
These reference sources may help you find good information for your debates.
They are by no means all that we have, but are to be considered as examples
of what is available. The specific sources you need will depend on your particular
topic and the slant you are giving it. Please e-mail
the Reference Department or chat or call 460-7025 for help.
CQ Researcher. Online under E-Reference link on the library homepage. Weekly issues on controversial topics including background, pro & con, bibliography and much more. (Only 5 onlinr "seats" available at one time. If you can't get in try it at 7 A.M!) Also in print in the Reference Section at
Ref. H 35 .E35 from 1991 to this year.
Opposing Viewpoints(series). (Newly added)Online under E-Reference link on the library homepage. About 90 monographs on separate controversial subjects in this series. To search the USA Catalog for the print issues do a keyword search on "opposing viewpoints" (use quotation marks if you have two or more words together)
Reference Shelf. Shelved in the book stacks there are over 200 books discussing one broad social issue each. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "reference shelf"
Taking Sides. Over 30 books on broad social topics in this series. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "taking sides"
Contemporary World Issues. 84 different titles about important issues in this series as of 2004. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "contemporary world issues"
. . . : Current Controversies. Books in this series each take a current arguable topic to explore. (38 different title as of 2004). Search USA Catalog: keyword: "current controversies"
Censorship: A World Encyclopedia. 2657 .C393 2001, 4 vols.
Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change. Reference GE 149 .E443 2002, 5 vols.
Gambling In America: An Encyclopedia of History Issues and Society. GV 1301 .T47 2001, 1 vol
Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice. 2nd. Reference HV 6017 .E52 2002, 4 vols.
Encyclopedia of American Immigration. Reference JU 6465 .E53 2001
A FEW
INDEXES TO NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE AND JOURNAL ARTICLES (library or from home)
(These are general databases only available through the library, For more specific
scholarly information look at the whole list of databases by scrolling down
on the Fulltext Journals
& Indexes page.)
Academic OneFile for more academic journals or General Reference Center Gold for more consumer-type magazines on InfoTrac. From SOUTHcat Plus homepage choose Fulltext Journals & Indexes then Gale/InfoTrac. InfoTrac has several other databases with articles. Check them out. This database contains lots of full-text articles. (CQ Researcher[see above] is indexed in Expanded Academic and so if you put "CQ Researcher" in the box that says "to the following journals," you will be able to see the topics it covers--all 1700+ topics. Alas, it is not full-text!)
Academic Search Premier for more academic journals or MasterFILE Premier for more consumer-type magazines. From SOUTHcat Plus homepage choose Fulltext Journals & Indexes then EBSCO. EBSCO also has databases for education, health, sociology, sports and business. If your topic lays in those areas, try them also.This database contains lots of full-text articles.
Communication & Mass Media Complete--EBSCO, 200 full-text communication and mm journals.
Lexis-Nexis --It is most noted for newspaper articles (full-text) from all over the world, but also has court cases, fed. and state laws and a good statistics database. From SOUTHcat Plus homepage choose Fulltext Journals & Indexes then Lexis-Nexis.
LexisNexis--From "Fulltext Journal and Indexes" page select LexisNexis. Once in this database, look near the bottom of the left-hand column. Click on "statistical." Use keyword searching, then click "go to Table" in the retrievals to get tables of statistical information most often from U.S. Government sources.
Check out Reference Sources on the Library homepage which includes library subscriptions to encyclopedias, reference books other miscellaneous books and documents. On the right side of that same page are links to some good reference sources on the public Internet includes links to almanacs, public opinions polls, quotation pages, maps, dictionaries, etc.
FactCheck.org "We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. " from Annanberg Public Policy Center of U. of Pennsylvania.
PRWatch: Center for Media and Democracy. Spin of the Day. http://www.prwatch.org/spin
and SourceWatch.Org.
Remember to evaluate every item you choose from the public Internet.
Here are some webpages that will give you criteria for evaluating webpages. The last one is a list of sites to practice on.
- Evaluating Internet Resources--How Can You Sort the Junk from the Good Stuff on the "Public" Internet?
- Indicators of Scholarship and Indicators of Propaganda
Use Google Advanced Search or Yahoo Advanced Search if you need to search the web directly. Right now they have the biggest indexes and some features that will make your search much easier (if you use them).
Try evaluating these websites:
Federation for American Immigration Reform: http://www.fairus.org
This one is harder:
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/
To
make comments, suggestions, or get more information, call (251)460-7025 or email
Jan Sauer.
Back to SOUTHcat Plus
University of South Alabama
URL: http://www.usouthal.edu/univlib/sauer/argument.html
Last updated: 9/18/07
