![[ Both Sides of the Issue ]](proconBanner.jpg)
Use the strategies described on this page to locate information about controversial issues.
Issues and Controversies from Facts.com includes excellent articles on controversial issues. Use the Search box or the Subject list to find articles on a wide variety of issues including gay rights, mine safety, and obesity.
CQ Researcher is published by Congressional Quarterly 48 times per year. Each report covers one current event topic. Examples are air quality standards, the FBI, gender equity in sports, and cloning. Report sections include background, overview chronology, the current situation, pros and cons of the issue, the outlook, and a bibliography on one aspect of the topic.
Opposing Viewpoints covers today's hottest social issues. Each issue has pro and con viewpoints articles; a list of full-text articles from magazines, journals and newspapers; and primary source materials. Included also are statistics, multimedia images, podcasts, and links to selected web sites.
Congressional Digest is published monthly. Each issue discusses one topic including an outline of actions taken by the U.S. Congress, an overview, and the pro and con section. Topics have included nuclear waste storage, flexibility in the workplace, and federal farm policy. Locate Congressional Digest articles by following these steps:
- Open Search for Articles.
- Click Academic Search under Popular Databases.
- Click in the box beside Find: and type a word or phrase describing your subject (e.g., nuclear waste).
- Click in the box next to Publication and type Congressional Digest.
- Click Search to retrieve about your topic from Congressional Digest.
Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing "contains sampling, data collection and data processing procedures designed to provide representative samples of the adult civilian population living in telephone households in the continental United States." To access articles from this periodical:
- Open Search for Articles.
- Under Databases A-Z, click B.
- Click Business Source Premier.
- Click in the Find: box and type JN "Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing" and a word or phrase describing your topic (e.g., abortion).
- Click Search to retrieve articles about your topic in Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing.
LexisNexis News Transcripts includes the full text of many news transcripts. To search for news transcripts about a specific topic:
- Open Search for Articles.
- Under Popular Databases, click LexisNexis.
- Click the Guided News Search tab.
- Under Step One: Select a news category, click the arrow and click News Transcripts.
- Under Step Two: Select a news source, click the arrow and click All Transcripts.
- Under Step Three: Enter search terms, type words or phrases to describe your topic.
- Under Step Four: Narrow to a specific date range, set the date range of your choice.
- Click Search to retrieve news transcripts on your topic.
LexisNexis Polls & Surveys includes full text reports of polls and surveys. To search for these reports:
- Open Search for Articles.
- Under Popular Databases, click LexisNexis.
- In the left column under Academic Search Forms, click Reference.
- Under Reference, click Polls & Surveys.
- In the first search box, type a word or phrase describing your topic.
- Choose other options listed on the search form (e.g., date).
- Click Search to polls & surveys transcripts on your topic.
Locate other periodical articles about your topic using the indexes available on the Owens Library Search for Articles page. Searching Tips & Tricks will help you retrieve relevant results.
Use Point of View in Periodicals to locate articles and opinion pieces from specific points of view.
- Truncated words (word stems followed by an asterisk) will retrieve any word beginning with the letters listed, e.g., abortion and controvers* will retrieve any record containing the word abortion and the words controversy, controversies or controversial. Do not use truncation on less than 4 characters.
- Use any of the following keywords or word stems to search for information advocating for or against an issue:
| advantag*, against*, analy*, argument*, attitud*, attribut*, benefit*, compar*, contrast*, controvers*, cost*, disadvantage*, discuss*, editorial*, evaluat*, favor*, improv*, legal*, mistak*, moral*, need*, oppos*, politic*, position*, progressive*, religio*, respect*, success*, support*, view*, and vital. |
Books Available in Owens Library
Contemporary World Issues is a series of books that include information about controversial global issues. The books are shelved in the main collection on third floor and may be checked out at the first floor Library Services Desk. Search the Library Catalog for books in this series about your topic by following the steps listed below:
- Open the Library Catalog.
- Click in the box next to the words Search for: and type contemporary world issues and a word or phrase describing your subject (e.g., contemporary world issues and hate crimes).
- Click the Search button.
- If a book about your subject is available in the Contemporary World Issues series, a title will be displayed.
Current Issues is a four volume set of encyclopedias and is located under the call number Ref 306.0973 C97c. Examples of topics are AIDS, census, marijuana, and smoking. Each entry is 1-2 pages long and gives additional listings for related topics.
eBooks are electronic books available to Northwest students, faculty, and staff. Users can search the full text for information about topics. The title, author, and content notes of eBooks can be searched in the Library Catalog.
Opposing Viewpoints is a series of books providing information about both sides of controversial issues. The books are shelved in the main collection on third floor and may be checked out at the first floor Library Services Desk. Search the Library Catalog for books in this series about your topic by following the steps listed below:
- Open the Library Catalog.
- Click in the box next to the words Search for: and type opposing viewpoints and a word or phrase describing your subject (e.g., opposing viewpoints and endangered species).
- Click Search.
- If a book about your subject is available in the Opposing Viewpoints series, a title or list of titles will display.
Other Books & Print Sources:
- Search the Library Catalog for other books & print sources about your topic, following the steps listed below:
- Open the Library Catalog.
- Click in the box next to the words Search for: and type word(s) or a phrase describing your subject.
- Combine more than one idea with the Boolean operator and. Search Example: cloning and ethic*
- Searching Tips & Tricks will help you retrieve relevant results.
- Click Search MOBIUS to find books from more than 50 academic libraries throughout the state.
Follow the directions listed below to access quotations, statistical data and definitions via the Owens Library Reference Resources page:
- Open ProCon.org: Pros and Cons of Controversial Issues
- This site
- Open Reference Resources
- Use online almanacs, quotation sources, dictionaries and statistical sources linked from this page.
To find Web sites selected and annotated by librarians:
- Consult Course/Subject Resources: by Topic
- When the list of subjects appears, click a subject.
- Many of the subjects will list WWW Resources
All quoted material is from the respective source.
Return to Course/Subject Resources