Begin your research with these sources. They will give you a useful introduction to the topic, help you narrow the focus of your research, and point you in the direction of additional sources.

Books

• Library Catalog (LINCCWeb)
  Begin by searching for your topic in West Campus Library. You can also expand this search to include all Valencia campuses or even all Florida Community Colleges.

• SPEECH Table
  The following series on the SPEECH Table (Library 2nd floor, 6-201) offer background and points of view on many current issues.
  • Annual Editions
  • At Issue
  • Contemporary World Issues
  • Current Controversies
  • Information Plus
  • Opposing Viewpoints
  • Taking Sides

 

• Also try these Reference Books!
  Reference sources offer background information and overviews. An encyclopedia is a common example of a Reference source.

• Encyclopedia Britannica
• New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
• Encyclopedia of Human Development
• A librarian can recommend additional reference books on your topic.

Library Databases

• CQ Researcher Plus Archive
• CQ Global Researcher
• Credo Reference
• Encyclopedia Britannica Online
• Issues & Controversies
• Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society
• Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center
• Points of View Reference Center
• Today's Science
• More Controversial Issues Databases

Web Sites

• American Civil Liberties Union
• FrontLine Online
• Public Agenda
• Research Questions: Persuasion
  This page was developed by Valencia librarians to suggest controversial topics for a persuasive paper or speech.
• Subject Guides
  These Subject Guides were developed by Valencia librarians to help you identify library resources that will provide in-depth analyses of specific subjects.

Online resources including Library Databases and web sites are the most efficient resources for finding both current and archived news articles on your topic.

Library Databases

• America's Newspapers (Newsbank)
• Lexis Nexis
• Orlando Sentinel (Newsbank)
• SIRS Knowledge Source
• More News & Current Events Databases

Web Sites

• Orlando Sentinel
• New York Times
• Times Topics
• Washington Post
• More Recommended Web Sites on News

Use these resources to find peer reviewed scholarly journal articles by experts who have researched your issue.

Library Databases

• Academic Search Complete
• Academic OneFile
• Health & Wellness Resource Center - for health-related issues
• PsycArticles - for psychology-related issues
• Science Resource Center - for science-related issues

• Social Sciences Full Text

The following are some of the most comprehensive statistical sources available. However, many of the resources described above, including books on the SPEECH Table, Controversial Issues databases, news articles and scholarly journal articles may also provide statistics.

Library Databases

• Gallup Poll
  This database requires a special log in procedure; please see a librarian for access.

Web Sites

• FedStats
• US Census Bureau
• Statistical Abstract of the United States
• World Bank: Data and Statistics
• More Recommended Web Sites on Statistics
• More Recommended Web Sites on Public Opinions