Controversial Topics Research Guide - LSC-North Harris
|
Find a Topic | Web Sites | Books & Government Information | Reference Books |
|
This guide is primarily intended for Lone Star College-North Harris students. It should be used only as a starting point for locating a topic and researching controversial topics using the online catalog, article databases, and websites.
The following guide provides selected World Wide Web sites and library resources for research on social, medical, political, and environmental issues.
- Best Information on the Net - Hot Paper Topics provides Internet sites on various current topics such as affirmative action, death penalty, and welfare reform compiled by reference librarians at St. Ambrose University (IA).
- Old Dominion Libraries Idea Generator provides topics ideas under several broad categories such as education, health sciences, and social sciences.REF LB1047.3 .L35 (at third floor Reference Desk)
Rates possible research topics in such areas as population, foreign policy, medicine, and education for the amount of information likely to be available in libraries.
See also: Opposing Viewpoints | CQ Researcher | Issues and Controversies
- Brookings Institution Policy Briefs from the Brookings Institution, an independent, nonprofit public policy research organization covers topics such as Euro currency, teen pregnancy prevention, and military readiness.
- Frontline, a PBS program offers in-depth discussion on controversial issues in their current programs or previous reports. Search the site or browse by subject or date.
- Issue Organizations from Project Vote Smart, a national, non-partisan organization whose goal is to provide citizens with "factual, relevant, independent information" about political issues includes links to various organizations on such topics as affirmative action, campaign finance, health care, and immigration. See also ratings for some organizations.
- Online NewsHour - Backgrounders from the PBS news program offers transcripts of discussions on issues under broad categories such as cyberspace, education, and welfare.
- Public Agenda Online: Public Opinion and Public Policy from Public Agenda, "a nonpartisan, nonprofit public opinion research and citizen education organization founded in 1975" includes discussion of political and social issues highlighted with results of public opinion polls. Check out the analysis in the "red flags" section where interpretation is offered on specific survey results which "may be misleading, unstable, or easily misinterpreted."
- Science in the Headlines sponsored by the National Academies, private, non-profit, scholarly research societies, providing original research reports and links to related sites on such topics as ozone layer depletion, bilingual education, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Subject Headings
Consider possible subject headings to use when searching the Library Catalog on the Web or in the library. Searching by subject keyword in the online catalog may help locate other subject headings (listed at the end of each catalog entry) that may be related to your research topic. Below is a list of sample keywords for several controversial topics that may be entered in the online catalog using the subject keyword search option on the main menu.
- animal testing (enter: animal experimentation, also enter: animal rights, also enter: animal welfare)
- lawsuits against tobacco companies (enter: tobacco industry)
- legalization of marijuana (enter: marijuana law, also enter: drug legalization)
- media violence (enter: violence mass media, also enter: violence television)
- school prayer (enter: prayer public schools, also enter: religion public schools)
Contemporary World Issues
1. Select online catalog menu option TITLE (Exact) or TITLE BROWSE
2. Enter: contemporary world issues
Titles contain subject overviews, chronologies, documents and other primary source materials, and annotated resource lists. Topics include the child care crisis, global warming, capital punishment, and rain forests.
Current Controversies
1. Select online catalog menu option TITLE (Exact) or SERIES BROWSE
2. Enter: current controversies
Each book features excerpts of previously published works by journalists or subject experts covering various facets of issues such as family violence, smoking, urban terrorism, and gambling.
Information Series on Current Topics
1. Select online catalog menu option SERIES TITLE (Exact) or SERIES BROWSE
2. Enter: information series on current topics
Each volume provides information on current issues such as the environment, domestic violence, immigration and gun control.
Opposing Viewpoints
1. Select online catalog menu option TITLE (keyword) or TITLE WORDS
2. Enter: opposing viewpoints
This series of books covers controversial topics as endangered species, censorship, and the 21st century. Each title contains pro/con short articles. In some instances, some specific issues (e.g., cloning or organ transplants) may be found within a broader subject (e.g., biomedical ethics).
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial . . . Issues
1. Select online catalog menu option TITLE (keyword) or TITLE WORDS
2. Enter: taking sides clashing
This series features both sides of controversial issues under broad subjects such as bioethical issues, legal issues, crime and criminology. Within these subjects there are more specific topic discussions. Also, an "issue summary" is listed for each perspective.
All of these materials are located in the Reference Collection located on the third floor of the library unless otherwise indicated.
Encyclopedia of Bioethics (5 volumes)
REF QH332.E52 1995
Features short articles provide an overview on topics such as abortion, abuse, aged, animal research, animal welfare, biomedical engineering, death and dying, genetic engineering, health care, organ and tissue transplants, prisoners, suicide, and much more. Use the index in the last volume to locate your subject.
Encyclopedia of Ethics (2 volumes)
REF BJ63.E45 1992
Includes short articles that cover topics such as abortion, treatment of animals, bioethics, capital punishment, censorship, euthanasia, infanticide, reproductive technologies, violence, and suicide.
Encyclopedia of the Future (2 volumes)
REF CB158.E53 1996
Lists short articles by the world’s leading intellectuals on the most critical problems of our times such as animal rights, child abuse, computers, privacy laws, illegal drugs, genetic engineering, and weapons.
Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court
REF KF8742.W567 1997
Features an overview of major decisions of topics of constitutional law such as abortion, censorship, the death penalty, racial discrimination, school prayer, sex discrimination, and sexual harassment.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (current year located at the Reference Desk - REF HA202.A3) - NOTE: need Adobe Acrobat Reader for Web version
Provides statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. See also: USA Statistics in Brief, a supplement to the Statistical Abstract of the United States, that includes data by category and links to other statistics on the Web.
The World Almanac and Book of Facts
REF AY67.N5 W7
Includes information on world and national statistics, current events, countries, and more.
Many periodicals cover controversial issues especially news magazines (e.g., Time, Newsweek, etc.), but the following titles focus on presenting both sides of numerous issues.
Congressional Digest (1992-present on second floor periodical shelves)
Covers one issue (in each publication) pro and con with background overviews and signed essays from topic experts on such topics as endangered species, immigration reform, and affirmative action.
The CQ Researcher, (on and off-campus) previous years (from 1991) located at the second floor Circulation Desk)
REF H35.C64
Devotes each weekly issue to one current topic such as global warming, juvenile crime, child labor, and the line-item veto with an overview of the issues, background information, the current situation, outlook, statistics, and more.
Issues and Controversies on File (on or off-campus access)
Provides a twice-monthly digest of news analysis and background information with a cumulative index covering such topics as cults, Internet regulation, school uniforms, Gulf War syndrome, and women in the military.
NOTE: Also search for your topic in back issues of selected magazines on the Web or try one of the periodical search engines that you can search off-campus for articles such as FindArticles.com at BNET.
Whether you need data for personal use (e.g., buying a car) or course-related research (e.g., year-round schooling), it pays to be a savvy information consumer. While numerous World Wide Web pages are known for featuring personal opinion and being produced without the critical review that other information sources receive, you need to develop a healthy skepticism about any information source. Consider why the information is being published and what bias might the author and publisher have. To review and rate all types of information sources, use the Evaluating Information Checklist.
281-618-5707 
Maintained by: Norma Drepaul, Reference/Instruction Librarian norma.a.drepaul@LoneStar.edu
