I recommend that you do some searching and reading prior to deciding on a topic. Selecting a topic and formulating your research question takes research.
At this stage, focus on exploring vs. selecting sources right away.
North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries, 3:10
Use this video to start thinking about topics of interest. You will be occasionally asked to stop the video to conduct your brainstorming. (UCLA Libraries, 2:52)
Explore information sources to generate ideas for your own research. These sources include both free web source and subscription databases.
News Content
Coverage of top news stories from multiple viewpoints, intended to provide readers with content on issues from all sides. Includes media bias ratings.
Includes Ethnic NewsWatch: A History. Full text access to U.S. ethnic community newspapers, newsletters, magazines. Includes African-American, Arab/Middle Eastern, Asian-Pacific, European-American, Hispanic, Jewish, Native-American. Searchable in English and Spanish.
Dates vary. Full-text content of more than 600 U.S. newspapers and 700 international sources. Local, regional and world news, including community events, schools, politics, government policies, cultural activities, local companies, state industries, and people.
NewsBank's Special focus on topics of current interest. They include content from sources throughout the world to provide a global perspective, current and background information, statistics, maps, images, websites, and suggested search terms.
Provides access to a full-text database of over 15,000 sources including newspapers, journals, wire services, newsletters, company reports and SEC filings, case law, government documents, and selected reference works. Access the future new interface, Nexis, along with Nexis Dossier and Total Patent One from the top left menu.
1985 - present. Provides access to the five most respected US national and regional newspapers: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Content is available by 8am each day and archives contain coverage as far back as 1985.
Varied Content (magazines, news, journals, viewpoint pieces)
Covers contemporary social issues and provides articles, primary source documents, court-case overviews, statistical data, images, and podcasts that help students explore issues from multiple perspectives.
Additional Websites
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan research organization which conducts social science research on issues, attitudes, and trends shaping the world. Areas of research interest include U.S. politics, media & news, social trends, religion, internet & tech, science, Hispanics, and global topics.
ProCon.org provides statements for and against 50+ controversial issues. Issues can be browsed by category or searched. The intent of ProCon.org is to present controversial issues in a nonpartisan way. Donors to ProCon.org are made public.
Specialized Encyclopedias
Provides access to a collection of reference books including encyclopedias, dictionaries, measurement conversions and more. For Chrome browser users, follow this link to troubleshoot a known issue.
Search over 250 dictionaries and reference titles covering the complete subject spectrum: from General Reference and Language to Science and Medicine, and from Humanities and Social Sciences to Business and Professional.
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