| Sources At OCC Library A General Note on Sources
It’s best to have an idea of a particular fact, statistic, or example
instead of just trawling for essays on your topic. For
example, in an essay on the dangers of the internet and children, one fact
readers would want to know is how many households (in America?) with children
have internet access? Then, to give that number some meaning, you’d have to find
out what percentage is that of all children in America.
Another way to look at this is to focus your search on the reasons or arguments
that prove your thesis rather than the thesis itself. For an essay arguing that
a liberal government is best for America, a search under welfare and entitlement
programs would help you more than a general search on liberalism. If you’re
examining the causes of voter apathy, and the reasons for it are consumerism,
lack of civic education, and distrust of government, you could research how
history/government is being taught (or not being taught) in high school to prove
your point, how consumerism is dominating American culture, and/or get poll
reports on American’s distrust of government.
Remember that your economics, psychology, sociology, history textbook is a fine
source, as are the variety of specialized encyclopedias (Psychology
Encyclopedia, etc.) in our library– though Encarta and other general
encyclopedias are not.
And remember to use the best reference:
the librarian.
Paper Sources
Periodicals
CQ Researcher: A must
see for argumentative essays. A weekly magazine that takes an in-depth look at a
particular issue in the news. Its balanced coverage, quotes from authoritative
sources, and annotated bibliography (which tells you about related articles)
make it an excellent first place to search. Available in the Reference area of OCC
library (and online). Use the blue index to see if your topic is included.
Books
(many of these are on reserve in our library)
Opposing Viewpoints:
(now available online as well) Each volume of this series covers a specific
topic, such as gun control, and offers two opposing essays on different aspects
of the issue. A good choice to find counter-arguments and to understand the
basic issues/arguments surrounding your topic. Conduct a keyword search using
“opposing viewpoints” on OCCAT (the college’s online book catalog) to find
specific titles. Access online through your campus portal account.
Taking Sides: Similar to
Opposing Viewpoints, this series offers pro and con essays showing two sides of
a controversial issue. Often more detailed and scholarly essays than Opposing
Viewpoints.
Information Plus: A
series of volumes on specific topics (ex. Aging in America, Youth in America),
which offers a wealth of statistical data in one text. To find if your topic is
covered (and keep in mind that Youth in America covers everything from numbers
of high school dropouts to spending of teens), conduct a keyword search using
“information plus” on OCCAT (the college’s online book catalog) and scroll list
to find matches for your subject. Many of these are located in the Reference
section of the library.
Matter of Fact: Arranged
chronologically, this series presents a wealth of statistical data (“Facts” –
get it?) on a wide range of topics. It is particularly good on international
data, a weak point of many similar sources. One caveat: much of the information
comes from congressional or United Nations reports or hearings and as such is
subject to bias according to the speaker. Pay close attention to who is talking
and remember that statistics can easily be manipulated to slant one way or the
other (a point to keep in mind for all statistical information).
Online Sources
General Note:
As many people have noted, the WORST possible way to find information for
college level essays is to do a basic search (through Google, AltaVista, Yahoo,
etc.) on the web. Why? The reason is simple: while you can find a wealth of
information, it is difficult to determine its value or authenticity. A site that
looks very professional and authoritative could be written by a high school
student – or a deranged mental patient bent on overthrowing the world by
disseminating false information about fluoride in the tap water and aliens in
your Cheerios.
Okay, that’s a bit of an overstatement, but it is quite easy to find heavily
biased and simply incorrect information on the web. In college-level writing,
you are expected to use sources that have undergone a fact-checking process to
ensure the validity of the information. Additionally, scholarly articles usually
are “peer-reviewed” – read before publication by a few experts in that field of
study – and thus present the more authoritative view of specialists who actively
research and write about the topic.
Do not waste your time doing a general search of the web – concentrate on print
or on online databases such as SIRS or EBSCOhost (see below) if you want to use
the internet. If you must search online, evaluate each site using the
following evaluation sites to judge your source (OCC,
St. Louis University).
Online Databases (the
way to search online)
These are collections of articles from hundreds of thousands of periodicals from
around the world, all accessible from your computer. The best thing about
online information is the sea of texts available in these databases: the worst
thing about online information is the sea of texts available in these databases.
In other words, bring your snorkel and diving gear -- or better yet, use Subject
search or guided searches to shorten your time under water.
Access the following through the college library
home page or
at home via your
personal account.
SIRS: Full texts articles of newspapers from around the nation and
articles from general and specialized journals as well. The keyword search
returns many (often too many) hits, so try the subject/topic search and use the
“Descriptors” button at the top of articles that you find helpful to narrow your
search. Access through your campus portal account.
EBSCOhost or
Academic Search Premier: A mixture of full-text and
bibliographical sources. Access through your campus portal account. NOTE: Be
sure to use the “Subject” (see button at top of EBSCO screen) instead of the
default keyword search – or be prepared to sift through 2,938 entries which
include your keyword.
New York Times: A fantastic source for statistical information, quotes from
authoritative sources, and interviews with the vox populi. Access through your
campus portal account.
Lexis-Nexis: a HUGE database that offers newspapers and other sources from
around the world. Though a bit complex to use, it is an incredibly rich source.
Access through your campus portal account.
CQ Researcher: A must
see for argumentative essays. A weekly magazine that takes an in-depth look at a
particular issue in the news. Its balanced coverage, quotes from authoritative
sources, and annotated bibliography (which tells you about related articles)
make it an excellent first place to search.
Opposing Viewpoints:
Each volume of this series covers a specific topic, such as gun control, and
offers two opposing essays on different aspects of the issue. A good choice to
find counter-arguments and to understand the basic issues/arguments surrounding
your topic.
Science Direct: As
the name suggests, the focus here is on science, including math and the social
sciences. This database gives us access to the kind of journals previously
available only in research universities.
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