Where should I look for information?
Where to best look for information depends on what kind of information you're looking to find! Different types of sources have different purposes. As you look for information to support your argument, you may need:
- Background information
- This is helpful for broad histories or overviews - think encyclopedias, etc. But, they may not be as specific or go into as much detail as you may need. They are written for a general audience.
- Academic Journal Articles or Academic Books
- These types of sources are helpful for specific information - think research studies. They can sometimes provide you with original research that the authors have done that you can use to support an argument. They are written for an academic audience.
- Legislation Records
- These are records of laws under consideration by Congress.
- Supreme Court Records
- These are records of cases under consideration by the Supreme Court.
- News
- These types of sources are helpful for information on current events and can also provide insight on current viewpoints on a topic. They are written for a general audience.
For guidance on how to find specific types of sources, see the tips below!
How do I find...?
I highly recommend checking out the Opposing Viewpoints in Context database linked below as you begin your research. This database provides not only overviews of issues you are researching, but also a summary of the major viewpoints on that issue. Global Issues in Context does the same, but from a world-wide perspective rather than a U.S.-based one.
Find Background Information:
- Global Issues in ContextFeatures hundreds of continuously updated issue and country portals bringing together a variety of sources for analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health and cultural issues.
- Opposing Viewpoints in ContextPro/Con articles, background information, articles, and other resources on current social issues.
Find Articles:
You can find many articles online using OneSearch. Watch the short video below to see how! To watch a video on how to search for books, keep scrolling to the next video.
Find Books:
You can find print books and other physical resources like DVDs in our catalog, ChesCat. Watch the short video below to see how!
Remember: When looking at legislation using the resources below, pay attention to the Tracker for each bill. For each proposed bill, the tracker tells you its status: Introduced, Passed House, Passed Senate, To President, or Became Law.
Find Legislation:
- Browse U.S. Legislative Information by Policy AreaThis page from the official U.S. government Congress.gov website lists proposed legislation from the current 118th Congress by policy area for easy browsing.
- Search Current LegislationThis page from the official U.S. government Congress.gov website allows you to search current proposed legislation by keyword.
Find Supreme Course Cases:
- Supreme Court Cases by TopicThis website from Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute lists Supreme Court cases by topic for easy browsing.
Find News Articles:
You can find many news articles in OneSearch. View the video in the "Journal Articles" tab for an overview of using OneSearch. If you can't find what you need there, you can also try the databases below.
- National Newspapers CoreFive national newspapers offering thorough coverage of local, national, and international events. Includes the Baltimore Sun, the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post.
- Access World News Research CollectionResearch diverse perspectives, topics and trends that align with areas of study such as Business, Health, Criminal Justice, Science, Humanities, Political Science and more. Features reliable, credible information from a wide variety of international, national, and local news sources, from 1980s to current, updated daily.
