Public SpeakingCA
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These reference sources may help you find good information for your speeches.
They are by no means all that we have, but are to be considered as examples
of what is available. The specific sources you need will depend on your particular
topic and the slant you are giving it. Please e-mail
the Reference Department or chat or call 460-7025 for help.
SOUTHcat: The Libraries' Catalog -- Books, Videos, CDs, Government Documents
Examples:
Encyclopedia of Stress. Reference BF 575.S75 E52 2000 3 vol.
Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change. Reference GE 149 .E443 2002, 5 vols.
Gambling In America: An Encyclopedia of History Issues and Society. GV 1301 .T47 2001, 1 vol.
Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice. 2nd. Reference HV 6017 .E52 2002, 4 vols.
Encyclopedia of American Immigration. Reference JU 6465 .E53 2001
A FEW
INDEXES TO NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE AND JOURNAL ARTICLES (library or from home)
(These are general databases only available through the library, For more specific
scholarly information look at the whole list of databases by scrolling down
on the Articles, Indexes,
Database page.)
Ebsco's Academic Search Premier for more academic journals. MasterFILE Premier for more consumer-type magazines. EBSCO also has databases for education, health, sociology, psychology, sports and business. If your topic lays in those areas, try them also.This database contains lots of full-text articles.
Ebsco's Communication & Mass Media Complete--EBSCO, 200 full-text communication and mm journals.
Gale/InfoTrac's Academic OneFile for more academic journals or General Reference Center Gold for more consumer-type magazines on InfoTrac. Check them out. This database contains lots of full-text articles.
Lexis-Nexis --It is most noted for newspaper articles (full-text) from all over the world, but also has court cases, fed. and state laws and a good statistics database.
CQ Researcher. Under Articles, Indexes, Databases. Use the alphabetical list by scrolling. Weekly issues on controversial topics including background, pro & con, bibliography and much more. (Only 5 online "seats" available at one time. If you can't get in try it at 7 A.M!) Also in print through 2006 in the Reference Section at Ref. H 35 .E35
Opposing Viewpoints Under Articles, Indexes, Databases. (use quotation marks if you have two or more words together)
Reference Shelf. Shelved in the book stacks there are 241 books discussing one broad social issue each. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "reference shelf"
Taking Sides. Over 47 books on broad social topics in this series. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "taking sides"
Contemporary World Issues. 103 different titles. Search USA Catalog: keyword: "contemporary world issues"
. . . : Current Controversies. Books in this series each take a current arguable topic to explore. (40 different titles). Search USA Catalog: keyword: "current controversies"
LexisNexis--From "Fulltext Journal and Indexes" page select LexisNexis. Once in this database, look near the bottom of the right-hand column. Click on "statistical." Use keyword searching, then click "go to Table" in the retrievals to get tables of statistical information most often from U.S. Government sources.
Check out Reference Sources on the Library homepage which includes library subscriptions to encyclopedias, reference books other miscellaneous books and documents. On the right side of that same page are links to some good reference sources on the public Internet includes links to almanacs, public opinions polls, quotation pages, maps, dictionaries, etc.
FactCheck.org "We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. " from Annanberg Public Policy Center of U. of Pennsylvania.
PRWatch: Center for Media and Democracy. Spin of the Day. http://www.prwatch.org/spin
and SourceWatch.Org.
Congressional Research Service - http://www.opencrs.com/
About Open CRS
American taxpayers spend nearly $100 million a year to fund the Congressional Research Service, a "think tank" that provides reports to members of Congress on a variety of topics relevant to current political events. Yet, these reports are not made available to the public in a way that they can be easily obtained. A project of the Center for Democracy & Technology, Open CRS provides citizens access to CRS Reports that are already in the public domain and encourages Congress to provide public access to all CRS Reports.
CRS Reports do not become public until a member of Congress releases the report. A number of libraries and non-profit organizations have sought to collect as many of the released reports as possible. Open CRS is a centralized utility that brings together these collections to search.
Remember to evaluate every item you choose from the public Internet.
Here are some webpages that will give you criteria for evaluating webpages. The last one is a list of sites to practice on.
- Evaluating Internet Resources--How Can You Sort the Junk from the Good Stuff on the "Public" Internet?
- Indicators of Scholarship and Indicators of Propaganda
Use Google Advanced Search or Yahoo Advanced Search if you need to search the web directly. Right now they have the biggest indexes and some features that will make your search much easier (if you use them).
Try evaluating these websites:
Federation for American Immigration Reform http://www.fairus.org
This one is harder:
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/
To
make comments, suggestions, or get more information, call (251)460-7025 or email
Jan Sauer.
Back to SOUTHcat Plus
University of South Alabama
URL: http://www.usouthal.edu/univlib/sauer/argument.html
Last updated: 1/17/08
