Social+and+Controversial+Issues+Research+Pathfinder

=Introduction=

This pathfinder is a good place to begin searching for reliable information for research projects on social, political, and/or controversial issues.

Using the right words and phrases to search for information in card catalogs, websites, and research databases can save time and elicit better results.

 * 1) ==== **Subject Headings to use for social issues:** (Your subject/subtopics) + social problems, social issues, social movements, social conditions ====
 * 2) ==== **Keywords & Phrases:** controversy, opposing viewpoints, pro/con, issue, debate, for/against, opinion, bias ====
 * 3) **Narrow topics using specific key words:** For example "HIV" is too broad and will find too many results. What sort of information are you looking for about it? Make a list of questions and generate keywords for subtopics. For example: HIV + U.S.; HIV + history; HIV + research; HIV + treatment; HIV + causes, etc.
 * 4) ** Library of Congress/Dewey Decimal Headings: (for subject/topic search terms) **
 * ==== Library of Congress Classification Headings (used at Brockton High School) ====
 * ==== Dewey Subject Index (Used at the Brockton Public Library) ====

=Research Database Resources= These research databases contain a wealth of reliable information from sources that have been previously published in print form. Find reference books, magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, special reports, multimedia, primary sources, selected websites, and more.


 * [[image:Screen shot 2013-12-02 at 7.42.25 PM.png width="133" height="110" link="@http://galesites.com/menu/mlin_s_brockhs"]] || Look here for a large collection of Gale databases, Encyclopaedia Britannica resources, and newspapers. Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. ||
 * < [[image:cq researcher .jpg width="132" height="66" link="@http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/#.Up0fZihhV5g"]] ||< **CQ Researcher** covers today's most important issues and controversial subjects. Each weekly issue—written by an experienced CQ Press reporter—is an in-depth, single topic report featuring more than 12,000 words of text and extensive bibliographies. Funded by the Brockton Public Schools IRC Department. See a librarian or teacher for password information. ||
 * [[image:opposing viewpoints .png width="130" height="56" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=OVIC&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]] || **Opposing Viewpoints In Context** contains information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. You will find updated viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal. Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. ||
 * < [[image:global issues in context .png width="130" height="56" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=GIC&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]] ||< **Global Issues in Context** offers international viewpoints on a broad spectrum of global issues, topics, and current events. Featured are hundreds of issue and country portals that bring together a variety of relevant sources for analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health, and cultural issues. Each of these pages includes an overview, unique "perspectives" articles written by local experts, reference, periodical, primary source and statistical information. Multimedia - including podcasts, video, and interactive graphs - enhance each portal. Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. ||
 * < [[image:gale infotrac .jpg width="135" height="57" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=gale&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]] ||< **Gale InfoTrac** will allow you to select and cross-search all or selected Gale databases at one time. Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. ||

=**Newspaper Databases**= Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. || Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required. || Funded by the Gatehouse Media Newspaper in Education Program. See a librarian for a password. ||
 * [[image:boston-globe1-greyscale.png width="250" height="119" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=Proquest_Globe&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]] || //The Boston Globe// has coverage from 1980 - today.
 * [[image:New-York-Times-Logo1.jpg width="167" height="105" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=SP24&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]] || //The New York Times// has coverage from 1985 - today.
 * [[image:enterprisenews_logo.png width="246" height="65" link="@http://brocktonenterprise.ma.newsmemory.com/nie.php"]] || //The Brockton Enterprise//, archives go back one year.

=Gale Virtual Reference Library=

Online access to 84 complete, searchable reference books on specialized topics. Funded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. No password required.
 * [[image:http://access.gale.com/data/picts/125/GVRL.png width="168" height="66" link="@http://libraries.state.ma.us/login?db=GVRL&locid=mlin_s_brockhs"]]

Search all titles or by categories here. || . ||

**Individual Titles:**
focus on leading social issues of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
 * **Social Issues Essential Primary Sources Collection** || **Other Titles** ||
 * These volumes of primary source documents
 * Crime and Punishment
 * Environmental Issues
 * Family in Society
 * Gender Issues and Sexuality
 * Government, Politics, and Protest
 * Human and Civil Rights
 * Immigration and Multiculturalism
 * Medicine, Health, and Bioethics
 * Social Policy
 * Terrorism || * Encyclopedia of Bioethics
 * Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, The - 4th ed.
 * Environmental Encyclopedia
 * Pollution A to Z
 * Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law
 * West's Encyclopedia of American Law
 * Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History
 * International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences - 2nd ed.
 * Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
 * US Immigration & Migration Reference Library - 5V ||

=Selected Websites=


 * Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan "fact tank." Outstanding resource for current statistics and studies on a wide range of social issues and trends, both in the US and abroad.
 * ProCon.org Unbiased pro/con coverage of 49 controversial issues. Recommended by Library of Congress.
 * Frontline--PBS This links to controversial and social issue topics across many fields covered on PBS FRONTLINE programs.

=Print Resources=
 * ==== **Find Books in Online Catalogs:** Look on Destiny, our school's online catalog, or Brockton Public Library's online catalog using keywords and phrases for your topic. If you are finding too many results, you many need to narrow your topic. If you are finding too few, you may need to broaden your topic or use better key words. In that case, try looking at the Library of Congress or Dewey Subject guides for ideas. ====
 * **Social Issues Books Series:**
 * 1) - Opposing Viewpoints (132 titles containing essays providing pro/con coverage of major issues);
 * 2) - Contemporary World Issues (reference handbooks on 11 major issues);
 * 3) - Social Issues Firsthand (firsthand accounts from people who have experience with 11 major social issues)
 * **eBooks on Destiny**: eBooks on Social Issues: Currently the IRCs own 5 eBooks on social issues that can be accessed online. Topics are animal rights, censorship, crime and punishment in America, genocide and international justice, and poverty in America. //See a librarian for passwords.//
 * **//Social Issues in America: an Encyclopedia// (Red IRC):** Arranged in A-Z format, this eight-volume set is a one-source reference for researching the historical and contemporary details of major issues confronting American society. An excellent resource for getting an overview of your topic. REF HN 57 .S624.
 * **Magazines:** The IRCs have subscriptions to approximately ten magazine titles.

=Image & Sound Resources=

=Community Resources=

For further searching refer to the following pages: Reference Sources - atlases, encyclopedias, dictionairies, almanacs, etc. Search Tools - search engines, directories, portals Copyright Friendly Resources

Template format borrowed and adapted from Learning Library Wiki / Regina Public Schools, Saskatchewan, Canada / Pathfinder+Template+2

Note: If you experience trouble with the links or anything else on this wiki page, or you have suggestions for additions to the resources, please email Ms. Doherty, Green IRC