Researching controversial topics

In Freshman Comp this semester? We have several resources you can use when you have an assignment that involves researching a current event, hot topic, or a controversial subject. Here are a few of them:

• CQ Researcher - Provides in-depth, unbiased reports and analysis of newsworthy issues and hot topics. Covers health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy, all the way back to 1923.
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context - Lets you explore issues from all perspectives with pro/con viewpoint essays, topic overviews, primary source documents, court-case overviews, periodical articles, statistical tables, and more.
• Gale Virtual Reference Library - Encyclopedic background information on many topics: social science, multiculturalism, law, history, the environment.
• LexisNexis news search - Gives access to actual news from around the world, covering top news, general news topics, and news transcripts; foreign language news sources; company, industry, and market news; legal news, reviews, and more.

CQ Researcher and Opposing Viewpoints are particularly good if you are just getting started with a topic. They provide excellent introductions and overviews. Gale Virtual Reference Library specialized encyclopedias are good for background information. If you need more, then move on to LexisNexis or our other databases and delve further into your subject.