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Researching Controversial Topics

Introduction

Descriptions and links for the following series:--
-- American History Series (Opposing Viewpoints)|
-- Contemporary World Issues |
-- CQ Researcher|
-- Current Controversies|
-- Ideas in Conflict|
-- Information Series on Current Topics|
-- Library in a Book|
-- Online Periodical Databases|
-- Opposing Viewpoints Series|
-- Periodical Title: Congressional Digest|
-- Suggested Research Topics|
-- The Reference Shelf |
-- Taking Sides ... Clashing Views on ...|
-- Web Resources|

Introduction

  • The series noted below deal with the pros and cons of controversial topics.
  • The series are in the Library -- in print and/or digital (electronic) format.
  • Besides the series noted, the library collection contains a number of other sources on controversial topics.
  • Note that the link print or electronic will take you to the source material.
  • To check for a particular series yourself, click on the online catalog Online Catalog button to go directly to the series.
  • Once you have located the listing for the title of the series, all the books of the series will be listed in alphabetical order.
  • See the list of Suggested Research Topics for ideas.

The Series:

Contemporary World Issues
by ABC-CLIO. From the advertisement: "This award-winning series seeks to bring understanding to and encourage activism on urgent issues in our world through a series of one-stop reference books that addresses the concerns of students, researchers, and citizens everywhere. Each volume includes: an authoritative introductory essay, a historical overview, including a chronology of events, legislation, movements, and initiatives, biographies of prominent activists, advocates, and legislators, an annotated survey of relevant literature, access to valuable nonprint resources like computer databases, electronic bulletin boards, and audiovisual materials, a current directory of leading organizations and agencies, a glossary of important terms, an overview of pertinent information."

CQ Researcher [electronic database]
"Published in print and online 44 times a year, the single-themed CQ Researcher report offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy." The CQ products are published by CQ Press, a division of CQ Quarterly, Inc.

Current Controversies
From the back cover: "The content of each volume in Current Controversies mirrors the mosaic of opinions encountered in society. Each anthology in the series is composed of primary sources taken from a wide gamut of informational categories including periodicals, newspapers, books, United States and foreign government documents, and the publications of private and public organizations." "The purpose ... is to explore many of the social, political, and economic controversies dominating the national and international scenes today. Titles selected for inclusion in the series are highly focused and specific."

Ideas in Conflict
by Gary E. McCuen: From the advertisement: "The Ideas in Conflict series presents cognitive conflict through debates, forums and symposiums from across the political spectrum. Each title in the series includes library study guides and classroom discussion activities that focus on one or more of the following: values in conflict, points and counterpoints, ethnocentrism, global perspectives, reasoning skill development, editorial cartoons [and] the political spectrum."

The Information Series on Current Topics
by Information Plus: (The most current year is shelved in the Reference collection and may not be taken from the Library. Older editions are in the circulating collection and may be borrowed from the Library.) The newer editions of these books are in the Reference section of the Library because they contain charts, graphs, and summaries of legislation dealing with each topic. This is one of the best sources for current and comparative statistics. Some pro/con information is also included. When we receive updated editions, the older editions are added to the circulating collection.

Library in a Book
by Facts on File. From the description on the title page: "Each volume of the Facts On File Library in a Book series is carefully designed to be the best one-volume source for research on important current problems. Written clearly and carefully so that even the most complex aspects of the issue are easily understandable, the books give the reader the research tools to begin work, plus the information needed to delve more deeply into the topic. Each book includes a history of the subject, biographical information on important figures in the field, a complete annotated bibliography, and a carefully designed index -- everything the researcher needs to get down to work."

Opposing Viewpoints Series electronic database or
by Greenhaven Press: This series investigates various aspects of each topic with paired articles for and against each position taken. From advertisements for the series: "to help readers become more intelligent and discriminating consumers of information in our media-centered culture. The series uses magazines, journals, books, and newspapers, as well as statements and position papers from a wide range of individuals and organizations. The discussion activities are designed to help develop basic reading and thinking skills."

American History Series (Opposing Viewpoints)

by Greenhaven Press. Like the Opposing Viewpoints Series, this series "makes issues relevant, exciting and interesting. Unlike other American history anthologies, primary sources placed in a pro/con format show readers how rarely Americans have reached a consensus on any issue. ... By comparing and contrasting opposing views, readers become involved in history, caught up in the ideas and issues that made past policy and continue to affect politics today."

The Reference Shelf
by H. W. Wilson. From the volume on AIDS: "The books in this series contain reprints of articles, excerpts from books, and addresses on current issues and social trends in the United States and other countries. There are six separately bound numbers in each volume, all of which are generally published in the same calendar year. One number is a collection of recent speeches: each of the others is devoted to a single subject and gives background information and discussion from various points of view, concluding with a comprehensive bibliography. Books in this series may be purchased individually or on subscription."

Taking Sides: Clashing Views on ...
Dushkin Publishing Group. These are debate-style readers designed to introduce students to controversies in a number of different subject areas. "For each issue, the editors provide a concise introduction and challenge questions. The introduction sets the stage for the debate as it is argued in the 'yes' and 'no' readings, and the challenge questions provoke further examination of the issue."

Research Tip: All of the series have unique call numbers. When you locate one of the books on a topic, you will be able to browse other books on that topic shelved in the same area.

Periodical Title:

The Congressional Digest
by Congressional Digest Corporation. This monthly magazine presents both sides of controversial political and social issues currently being debated in Congress. Each issue is devoted to one topic with leading members of Congress or various government associations presenting the pro & con arguments for the topic. Examples of some of the topics from previous issues are health care reform, welfare reform & prayer in public schools. Contributors to the Prayer in Public Schools issue include Senator Jesse Helms and Senator Strom Thurmond on the "pro" side with Senator Mark Hatfield and the United Church in Christ on the "con" side. The introduction states that this is "an independent monthly...Not an official organ, not controlled by any party, interest, class, or sect." The current year's issues are located in the Periodicals Room and previous years are located in alphabetical order by title on the Reference Room shelves.

Online Periodical Databases:

The NEIT library subscribes to many research databases, one of which is EBSCOhost. These databases index numerous publications including series, journals, periodicals, magazines, and more. Check on current information on controversial topics. See the Reference Librarian for help in searching EBSCOhost.

Online Resources page

Research Topics
Here are some of the topics and ideas that will be included in the series:

A Abortion | Africa | AIDS | America's Cities | America's Defense |
America's Elections | America's Future | America's Prisons | America's Children | America's Economy | American Values | American Military | American Government | American Foreign Policy | American Agriculture | Animal Rights |
Apartheid | Arms Race |

B Balancing the Federal Budget | Biomedical Ethics | Bosnia |

C Capitalism | Censorship | Central America |
Chemical and Biological Weapons | Chemical Dependency | Child Abuse |
China | Civil Liberties | Communism | Congressional Term Limits |
Crime & Criminals | Culture Wars |

D Death and Dying | Death Penalty | Drug Abuse | Drug-Addicted Babies |

E Eastern Europe | Ecology | Education in America | Elderly |
Environmental Crisis | Euthanasia |

F Family in America | Farm Policy | Feminism | Firearms and Social Violence |

G Genetic Engineering | Global Resources |
Global Warming and the Ozone Layer |

H Health Crisis | Health Care | Homeless | Homosexuality | Human Sexuality |

I Illiteracy in America | Immigration | Inner City Violence |
International Drug Trade | Iran Iraq War | Israel |

J Japan |

L Latin America and U.S. Foreign Policy | Legal Reform | Lobbying Reform |
Legislation |

M Male/Female Roles | Mass Media | Middle East | Militarizing Space |

N Nicaraguan Revolution | Nuclear War | Nuclear Waste | Nuclear Winter |

P Paranormal Phenomena | Poison in Your Food |
Political Murder in Central America | Politics in America |
Poor and Minority Health Care | Population and Human Survival |
Pornography and Sexual Violence | Poverty | Prayer in Public Schools |
Privatizing Social Security |

R Racism | Religion in America | Religion and Politics |

S Saving Endangered Species | Science and Technology |
Science and Religion | Sexual Values | Social Justice | Soviet Union |
Sports in America | Suicide | Superpowers |

T Teenage Pregnancy | Teenage Sexuality | Telecommunications Reform |
Third World Trade | Treating the Mentally Disabled |

V Vanishing Rainforests | Vietnam War | Violence in America |
Violent Relationships |

W War and Human Nature | War on Drugs | Water Quality |
Workfare Vs. Welfare | World Hunger and Social Justice |

Web Resources
The World Wide Web has wonderful resources. The NEIT Librarians have compiled numerous Web resources on the kinds of topics listed above.

1 -- Consult the WWW Resources page for extensive resources on General Reference Websites, Research Websites, and Research Topics A - Z. The NEIT Librarians have evaluated the source material on these websites.
2 -- Check this website's Site Index for topics.
3 -- It is important to understand How to Evaluate a Website as some websites can be deceiving in their content or intent.
4 -- When researching on the Internet, try to limit your search to those websites with the domain .edu While this is a helpful suggestion, it is not a foolproof guarantee that the website is valid source material.