Opposing Viewpoints: A Guide to Finding Sources
Books
Often when doing research, a researcher has to look at all sides of an issue. The library has many books which present both sides of many different issues. One such set of books is the
Opposing Viewpoints series. To find the books in this series,
Search the TLU Library Catalog in the following manner:
- Click the "Advanced" tab.
- Enter "opposing viewpoints" in the search box.
- Change the "within" box to "series."
- Click the "Search" button.
This will provide you with a list of more than 35 books on such issues as terrorism, globalization, biological warfare, civil liberties, endangered oceans, hate groups, and so forth. Similar searches, using the dropdown arrow and choosing "series," can be conducted using the following phrases:
- Sage focus editions
- Contemporary education issues
- Contemporary world issues
- Library in a book
Basic subject searches on a particular topic can also find many books on the subject. Just be aware that, while many do, not all books present all sides of a particular topic. The series listed above, however, do present different sides to an issue.
The library's Reference collection has a large number of books which can introduce you to most any topic. Browse the collection or the catalog to find books on your topic. To quickly locate the general call number for a book, consult the
General Subject of a Call Number and then walk to the shelves for the subject in which you are interested.
Unless you are looking for historical background on your topic, it is generally better if you use current up-to-date sources for your topic. A source published in the last two to three years is a good rule of thumb. Generally, if you are researching a controversial topic you will find lots of very current material on the subject.
Magazine, Newspaper, and Journal Articles
Besides books, articles are great for looking at the different sides of any subject. Use the databases in
General Resources to locate articles with opposing viewpoints.
One of the best databases to start with is
LexisNexis Academic Universe, which has a large collection of newspaper and magazine articles which will provide any researcher with lots of articles expressing various viewpoints on any topic. In the search box, type "editorials" and your topic, for example, "editorials and abortion." You will retrieve editorials, which are articles expressing a definite opinion as opposed to articles which only report on facts. This search will often find letters to the editor as well as editorials by various newspapers themselves. For your research, you might want to stick with the editorials of the newspapers instead of letters to the editors. In addition, you will probably have to look through several editorials to get all sides of a particular issue.
Besides looking for editorials, you can always just search your topic and find various articles relating to it. Many other databases are also very helpful. Others you might want to try are:
Academic Search Complete
eLibrary Curriculum Edition
MasterFILE Premier
Student Research Center
Web Resources
There are lots of opposing viewpoints on the Web and they are generally easy to find. However, finding good reliable sources on the Web is a little bit more of a task. Sources such as IssueWeb: A Guide and Sourcebook for Researching Controversial Issues on the Web (Ref ZA4228 D53 2004) can point you to good Web resources on various viewpoints on lots of different topics.
Evaluation and Citation
It is important to evaluate every source you use in your research. Evaluate not only the reliability of the source, but also the validity of the content. To find out more about evaluating the sources you find, look at Evaluating Sources. Also, be sure to cite your sources according to a recognized citation style. One of the most common styles is the MLA style, but the library can link you to many useful Bibliographic Citation Styles.
