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Controversial Topics/Current Social Issues  Tags: english controversial_topics controversial_issues social_issues barbara_griest_devora engl_1302_monica_hernandez_english_1301  

This guide will help you find material on controversial topics and current social issues.
Last update: Nov 20th, 2009 URL: http://nvcguides.libguides.com/engl1302  Print Guide  RSS Updates

Online Databases             Print Page
  
 

Accessing the Databases

On Campus: 

- Click "Online Databases" on the Library Homepage.

- Select the "Controversial Issues" link.

- While on-campus, clicking on the title of the database will take you directly to the database.

Off Campus: 

- Follow the instructions above. 

- When you click the database name, you will be prompted to enter your PALS user name and your original PALS password (the first two letters of your last name, capitalized, and the last 6 digits of your SSN). 

- You should have 24/7 access to all the database materials.  If you encounter login problems, please contact the Reference Desk at 486-4513.

      
     
     

    Selecting Appropriate Databases

    The following databases focus the most on current social issues/controversial topics.  However, you may find many useful articles in other databases.  For example, you will find useful information on "Stem Cells" in the Science and Health/Medicine databases as well.  Use the Subject Groupings to discover those subject-specific databases. 

    • Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center  
        
      provides information on social issues. Access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.
    • The CQ Researcher Online  
        
      Archive of the CQ Researcher magazine that contains in-depth reports of a variety of controversial/current social issues.
    • Facts.com  
        
      A broad database that brings together several reference sources: World News Digest, Facts on File, Reuters news (for the most recent 2 weeks), the World Almanac, Issues and Controversies and Today's Science.
    • Current Issues: RefShelf Plus  
      a professionally created database that covers a wide variety of current issues relevant in today’s world, including social, scientific, health, political, and global issues. The visual, infographic interface provides for a selection of topics, or researchers can choose from an alphabetical topic list.
    • Credo Reference  
      Great collection of online reference works for background research in a wide range of subjects.
     

    Tips for Finding Articles

    Fulltext - Some of the subscription databases contain citations and abstracts of articles in addition to the full text of articles.  To make sure that you access complete articles, click the fulltext box on your search screen.  You may have to use the Advanced Search option or click More Search Options to display this box. 

    Scholarly Journals - Your assignments may require you to read articles from scholarly journals as opposed to popular magazines.  See the link below to learn about the differences between the types of publications.  Subscription databases often allow you to limit your search results to scholarly journals (also known as peer-reviewed or academic journals).  Look for a box that allows you to limit results to scholarly journals.  You may have to use the Advanced Search option or click More Search Options to display this box. 

     
     

    Scholarly vs. Popular Publications

    Differences Between Scholarly Journals and Popular Magazines - Click this link to see at a glance the differences in appearance, content, audience, purpose, etc., between scholarly journals and popular magazines.   

     
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