Researching A Contemporary Issue in Mortola Library

• Choosing a Topic
• Reference Materials for Background Information
• Ready Reference Materials for Quick Facts
• Books: Sources of In-depth Information
• Periodicals and Newspapers: Sources of Recent Information
• Contemporary Issues Internet Web Sites
• Evaluation of Internet Sites
• How to Cite Your References in a Research Paper

CHOOSING A TOPIC

1. CQ Researcher (Ref H35.E354) Also available online in Research Library. Do "Publication Title" search in the Advanced search mode. Index is now available online at http://library.cq.com/ Click on "CQR INDEX". One issue or trend is covered in each weekly issue. Gives multiple viewpoints on controversial issues. Includes bibliography.
2. Opposing Viewpoints Series A series of books which deal with controversial topics from many viewpoints. The individual titles in the series can be found by doing a keyword search in the online Pace Library Catalog and typing in "opposing viewpoints".
3. Taking Sides Series A series containing "clashing views on controversial issues." Each volume contains a background introduction, a postscript, summary of the essays, and well developed essays on each side of a controversial issue. The individual titles can be found by doing a keyword search in the online Pace Library Catalog and typing in "taking sides."
4. The Reference Shelf series This series gives analysis of contemporary topics. Each title includes historical background and current developments on the topic as well as reprints of related articles and a bibliography for supplemental readings. Individual titles can be located by doing a keyword search in the online Pace Library Catalog and typing in "reference shelf."
5. Congressional Quarterly Almanac (Ref JK1 .C66) Annual volumes - Mortola Library has through 1999. Chronicles the course of major legislation and national politics for the proceeding year.
6. CNN Web site Browsing current news articles is one way to find a topic you might be interested in reading about. View the CNN web site's latest stories to find contemporary issues.

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REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Encyclopedias
1. General (Found in the first row of the Reference Collection) Encyclopedia articles give a broad overview of a subject and are frequently followed by subject bibliographies. Their emphasis is on "objective" information rather than on controversial opinions. The library has the Academic American, Encyclopedia Americana, and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
1. Encyclopedia Britannica on-line Similar to the traditional Encyclopedia Britannica, the on-line Britannica includes essays on a variety of topics.
2. Specialized Encyclopedias: The library has subject encyclopedias in science and technology, psychology, education, social sciences, etc. The following encyclopedias could prove particularly useful in researching certain controversial topics:
1. Encyclopedia of Bioethics (Ref QH332 .E52 1995) Covers medical topics, such as abortion and euthanasia, from an ethical perspective.
2. Encyclopedia of Criminology and Deviant Behavior (Ref HV6017 .E53 2001) Historical and theoretical issues, juvenile deliquency, and self-destructive behavior are all given in-depth coverage in this four volume set.
3. Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics (Ref BL2525 .E52 1999) Topics such as the Fourteenth Amendment and cults are included as well as the texts of important speeches and documents from 1620 to 1995.
4. Guide to American Law, plus yearbooks. (Ref KF156.G77) Legal aspects of abortion, air transportation, drugs, impeachment, prostitution, etc.
5. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (Ref Q 121 .M3 1992) Information on such topics as greenhouse effect, water pollution, recycling, and pesticides.
6. Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life (Ref GN333 .W67 1998) Provides information on 500 cultures throughout the world focusing on daily concernc susch as food, language, clothing, and religion.
2. Specialized Almanacs
1. The Hispanic American Almanac or The Reference Library of Hispanic America ( Ref E184.S75 R44 1993b) Covers all aspects of Hispanic-American history and culture in the United States.
2. The Muslim Almanac: A Reference Work on the History, Facts, Culture and Peoples of Islam (Ref BP 40 .M83 1996).
3. The Native American Almanac: A Portrait of Native America Today (Ref E 77 .H59 1993) Historical overview of relations between Native Americans and whites in the United States and the state of Native Americans today.
4. St. James Press Gay & Lesbian Almanac (Ref HQ76.3 U5 S75 1998)

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READY REFERENCE SOURCES FOR QUICK FACTS

1. Almanacs: Miscellaneous facts on many subjects: countries, news events, industries, awards, inventions, disasters, sports, and much more. Titles include Time Almanac 2003(Ref AY64.I55 2003) and its Canadian equivalent, Canadian Almanac and Directory (AY414 .C2 2002).
2. Statistical Abstract of the United States (online and at Ref HA 202 .S8 - Most recent volume is at Reference desk) Statistics on the social, political and economic organization of the United States, including demographic information, data on industries, the economy, etc. Useful source notes lead the user to more detailed and recent sources.
3. Social Statistics Briefing Room Easy access to current Federal social statistics on crime, demographics, education and health.
4. Uniform Crime Reports (Ref HV6787.A3 - Mortola Library has through 1993) Annual nationwide crime statistics contributed by state and local law enforcement agencies.
5. The Pace Library Internet links page includes links to a variety of statistical sources on the Internet
6. Dictionaries: For definitions, word origins, usage, and pronunciation.
1. General titles include Oxford English Dictionary (Ref PE1625 .O87 1991), which gives very detailed definitions and etymologies; The New International Webster's Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language (Ref PE1625 .N534 1996), English as spoken in England,Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Canada and the United States; and Random House Unabridged Dictionary (Ref PE 1625 .R3 1993), a good source for current usage.
2. Specialized dictionaries covering only one discipline frequently have more detailed definitions than the general dictionaries, definitions from the viewpoint of that particular discipline, and references to sources of additional information. Among the many subject dictionaries at Pace are: Black's Law Dictionary (Ref KF156 .B53 1999), The Color of Words: and Encyclopaedic Dictionary f Ethnic Bias inthe United States (Ref E184 .S1 H466 1997), The HarperCollins Dictionary of American Government and Politics (Ref JK9 .S43 1992), and the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang (Ref PE 2846 .H57 1994) Onelook Dictionary is a collection of special dictionaries on the Internet covering religion, sports, business and others.

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BOOKS: SOURCES OF IN-DEPTH INFORMATION

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PERIODICALS AND NEWSPAPERS: SOURCES OF RECENT INFORMATION

The Mortola Library subscribes to approximately 1000 magazines and newspapers, which should be used to update and supplement the information found in books. To find articles on a specific subject, use one or more print indexes, CD-ROMs, or online databases. Browsing a periodical index can also indicate whether a chosen topic is too broad and suggest ideas for narrowing it; or, indicate that there is not much information available on the topic and it should be broadened, modified, or abandoned. Ask a librarian for assistance in accessing recent articles using electronic sources. A few of the relevant indexes are:

1. Print Indexes
1. New York Times Index (Periodical Indexes; Mortola has through 1997, Annual) Especially useful for researching issues of local importance, such as rent control, as well as finding reviews of plays and films. Can also be used for researching national and international events and issues.
2. Education Index (Periodical Indexes; Mortola has through 1995, Annual, with supplements 10 times per year) Controversial topics include teachers salaries, school year, length, and Intelligence tests. This index is also available electronically through Education Abstracts.
3. Business Periodicals Index (Periodical Indexes; Mortola has through 1995; Annual, with monthly supplements) Controversial issues include import quotas, lie detectors and detection, and computers and privacy.
2. Electronic Indexes and Databases
1. General Business File ASAP Access is available remotely or in the Library . Contains citations, abstracts and many full-text articles from 1980 to the present and is updated daily. Similar in coverage to the Business Periodicals Index. Some topics include: insider trading in securities, equal pay for equal work, and women executives.
2. Academic Search Premier Access is available remotely or in the Library . Contains citations, abstracts and full-text articles from 1965 to the present and is updated daily. It contains scholarly and popular journals in astronomy, religion, law, history, psychology, humanities, current events, sociology, communications and general sciences.
3. New York Times   The New York Times is available through Lexis Nexis Universe. The site includes the full text of the New York Times on a daily basis.  All Pace University Libraries have a subscription to the New York Times. (Mortola has the New York Times on microfilm from 1851-present)
4. News sites on the Internet The Pace Library Web site includes links to sources of current news on the Internetvia the Internet Resources link from the Library home page.

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Contemporary Issues Internet Web Sites

Internet web sites can be a good source of information for Contemporary Issues if the source of the information (the publisher of the Web site) is reliable. If you want to use the Internet as a source, evaluate your resources carefully. A worksheet for evaluating web sites is available on the Library's Instructional services page.

Evaluation of Internet Sites

If you have found web pages that seem to have useful information for your research, you will need to evaluate those pages before you want to include them in your research paper. Please see the Pace University page on Evaluating Resources and use these guideline to look critically at the information you have found.

How to Cite your References

To avoid plagiarizing another person's work, you will need to cite all information from your resources in your paper. First find out what citation style is required in your class. Then visit the Citing Resources page on the Pace University Library pages to find more information and the correct format for each type of resource. If you want further information about plagiarism, please visit the Plagiarism Fact for Students page as well.

GOOD LUCK on your research!
Remember that the Reference Librarians are available during library hours!