Research Guides: COM 2101/2105: Public Speaking: Background

Great Places to Start for Current Issue Topics!

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Explores a single "hot" issue in the news in-depth each week.
Explores a single hot issue in the news in-depth each week. Each report is written by an experienced journalist and features comments from experts, lawmakers and citizens on all sides of every issue.
Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Points of View Reference Center™ is a full-text database designed to provide students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue.
Contains a balance of materials from all viewpoints on controversial topics, including more than 1,300 main essays.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Go to "Explore Topic Pages" to locate articles, books, gov't documents, videos, images, etc. on your topic.
Provides access to hundreds of reference books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, quotations) from over 70 academic publishers.

Films On Demand This link opens in a new window
Provides over 21,000 high quality streaming videos on a wide variety of topics, including award-winning documentaries, interviews, and instructional and vocational training videos.
Kanopy This link opens in a new window
Click red button to Visit the App State Collection and then Log in to App State.
Kanopy provides educational streaming access to over 27,000 documentaries and critically acclaimed films.
Swank This link opens in a new window
Streaming library of feature films, documentaries, and foreign films from the largest movie studios. We usually have over 100 films available each semester, chosen for classes at faculty request.

Films and Streaming Video
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Access to Films on Demand and other video collections available from the library.

Construct a concept map to help you narrow your topic and focus on an aspect of it you would like to write about. .
A concept map can help you construct a vocabulary and find key words on your topic.
A concept map help you form some questions you might like to answer about your topic for your assignment.

Here is an example:

Controversial Issues Series
Over 40 titles covering issues ranging from crime and justice to issues in testing
Opposing Viewpoints Series
Over 200 topics are covered in this series, all available for checkout.