Look in our catalog to find books that may have articles on your topic. Use the Table of Contents to narrow your topic, and see examples of persuasive essays. Find them by Call #. Use Current Controversies, At Issue, Opposing Viewpoints and other issues-focused series and books. (I'll show you a few examples, and look on the regular shelves for the rest.) Check publication date to select newest ones. We have a bunch we just bought last year!
Social Issues Researcher - Definitely start with this one!! SIRS not only provides quality articles from magazines and newspapers, it also helps you with topic ideas and your claim. We'll have you start an activity in this database to get you started.
Gale in Context - High School - Using the GIC: High School database, you can investigate many different Social Issues. (On their main page, scroll down, and click Social Issues (to see all 156 topic ideas). When in a topic, read the Overview - click “Read More,” and below that start with Featured Content and Reference. Remember to look for recent dates…) An example article: "Steroids and Baseball. "
Gale in Context - Global Issues - Similar to the one above, but with more of an international issues focus. Example article: "Locked Out: Refugees" from the Economist. Click Browse Issues and see a huge alphabetical list. Click a topic to see an overview. Scroll down to see many source options.
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints via KCLS - Articles and statistics about current issues with a national focus. Some are written in a persuasive format with a claim as the title. Example article: "Eliminating Standardized Testing Will Worsen Inequality." Go to KCLS.org/students > Middle and High School > Need Sources such as Databases... Choose Opposing Viewpoints and log in with your student number after 417. So type 417####### (<your student number) and password = the last four digits of your student number.
If you need to search the free web, use these sources below if all above options have already been tried. Building a Noodletools entry for free web sources takes a minute or 2. Help/directions below:
Use a google advanced search, and get .edu (from colleges and universities) TYPE IN topic site:edu example: zoos site:edu
(advanced google search - site:edu - then double-check, is this a reputable college (avoid for-profit colleges and others that aren't highly reputable/excellent. Avoid unqualified/unknown student authors. Go for ones like this college website )
Debatabase - International Debate Education Association - A searchable, online debate topic database with almost 600 debate topics. Useful resource for student debaters. Inside you will find arguments for and against hundreds of debating Topics, written by expert debaters, judges and coaches. Also included are background summaries, links to websites of interest and recommended books. Note at the bottom of an article - there are 2 tabs to show the main arguments for and against.
For other websites, check their reliability and factual data rating.
Do a google search for - media bias fact check __________ website
- and look at their level of Factual Reporting (needs to be High or Very High)
- and be aware of their leaning right or left (which is fine and expected)
- but you can't use the "extreme" ones from either end in most research projects.
example: media bias fact check Center for Foreign Policy website
Citations in Noodletools (in your Clever)
Databases will create the citation for you! Free websites, you need to fill in all the fields you can.
-How to Fill in Fields for a Regular Webpage on NT
** Screencast: How to Share your NT with the Library
Slides on Creating a project, citing databases articles and books in NT.
**Once you share your works cited, your teacher and the librarians always see your "live" version. They'll can comments on them and grade them without you needing to print out anything.
In text citations HOW-TO and activity LINK
Databases provide correct citations for you. You can also 'Quick Add' a book, using the ISBN #. For free websites, you'll need to fill in the fields.
"Think Like an Editor" 3 min. Video
Library Notes Below:
Lobb - Argumentative Essay
Garcia - Persuasive Essay
Garcia/Lobb Finding a topic Assignment
Vesely - Argumentative Essay, social justice issue.