Embedded Files
Africa Newspaper Project
Africa Newspaper Project
Working from home? Click here to access Off-Site Database Passcodes.
- Build Background Knowledge
Use this database to learn about your country's history and current issues and find leads for news articles.
Gale in Context: Global Issues
Gale in Context: Global Issues
School subscription · Passcode required off campus
Start with these sections:
Reference: Basic facts and background information.
Viewpoints: Different opinions and perspectives on an issue.
Magazines and News: Articles reporting on events and exploring issues, including current and historical coverage.
Helpful features:
Get Link: Save a link so you can return to the article later.
Cite: Find citation information when you're ready to cite the article.
Research tip: Check publication dates and consider the author's background and perspective.
2. Find News and Reporting
2. Find News and Reporting
Use international news organizations to explore major events and broader perspectives. Use country-specific reporting to learn more about events and issues within your group's country.
International Reporting
International Reporting
New York Times
New York Times
Set up your WFBHS account at nytimes.com/passes
Use your school Google account
Look for:
World → Africa:
News: Use date filters to find recent coverage. Topic labels, such as climate or politics, can help you narrow your search.
Opinion: Check the label at the top of an article to distinguish commentary from news reporting.
Keep in mind: Some articles are written by journalists who aren't based in the country they cover. Consider the author's background and perspective.
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Look for:
News → Africa
Explained: Articles organized around common questions about an issue.
Opinion: Articles expressing the author's views. Click the author's name to learn about their background.
Keep Reading: Links to related coverage within articles.
Keep in mind: Based in Qatar and partly government-funded. Compare coverage with other sources and check publication dates.
The Guardian
The Guardian
Look for:
World → Africa
All Africa stories: Browse additional Africa coverage
Keep in mind: Coverage may reflect UK or European perspectives. Compare reporting with other sources and check publication dates.
Country-Specific Reporting
Country-Specific Reporting
DRC
Note: AllAfrica gathers reporting from many African news organizations, along with its own reporting.
3. Cite Your Sources
3. Cite Your Sources
Use one shared Google Doc for your group's citations. Everyone should add their sources to this document's citation tool as they research.
Add a source
Add a source
Open your group's shared Google Doc. Go to Tools → Citations and select MLA.
Click + Add citation source and choose the source type and access method.
For an online news article, paste the article URL and click Search.
Check the information carefully. Verify the author, article title, publication, date, and URL. Correct any errors, then click Add citation source.
Can't find the source? Enter the information manually in the citation fields.
For articles from Global Issues in Context: Click Cite in Gale and select MLA. In the citation tool, choose Newspaper article and Website and Cite manually, then use Gale's citation to fill in the source information. Make sure the article URL is included, and check the finished citation for accuracy.
Create Works Cited
Create Works Cited
Once everyone has added their sources, click Insert Works Cited in the citation tool.
Review the entries and correct any errors.
Copy the complete list to your newspaper's Works Cited page on Google Sites.
At the end of each article, include the citation entries for the sources used in that article.
Remember: The citation tool helps format entries, but it can make mistakes. Check every citation before publishing.
Multimedia Project
Multimedia Project
1. Getting Organized
1. Getting Organized
Getting organized at the start saves time, prevents lost sources, and makes your Works Cited easy. A good system helps you focus on thinking and prevents scrambling at the end.
Step 1: Create a shared Google folder
Step 1: Create a shared Google folder
Step 2: Within that newly created folder, create a Google Doc titled "Research Tracker"
Step 2: Within that newly created folder, create a Google Doc titled "Research Tracker"
Step 3: Add three sections: "Possible Sources", "Read & Used Sources", "Works Consulted"
Step 3: Add three sections: "Possible Sources", "Read & Used Sources", "Works Consulted"
2. MLA Citations
2. MLA Citations
If you use a source, you must cite it. Add sources to the Google Docs citation tool as you research, and track everything in your Research Tracker. Databases typically provide the citation for you to copy and paste. News websites and social media posts do not. Use this tool to accurately create MLA citations.
1. How to use Google citation tool in "Research Tracker" doc
1. How to use Google citation tool in "Research Tracker" doc
If the tool successfully finds the source, double-check the elements and click "Add citation source".
If the tool cannot find the source, add the elements manually. Any field with an asterisk (*) must be filled.
After all sources (at least 4 for individuals, 6 for partners) have been added to the citation tool, click "Insert works cited" to create a perfectly formatted Work Cited/Consulted page.
2. How to cite social media posts using MLA
2. How to cite social media posts using MLA
Social media posts (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.) are cited as individual sources, just like articles or websites.
You will always:
Go to Tools → Citations
Select MLA
Choose Website as the source type
Manually fill in the fields using the post’s account name, title/caption/description, platform name, date posted, URL, and accessed date.
Add each social media source to the citation tool as you use it, then generate your Works Cited once at the end.
Example: YouTube
TRT World. “A short history of the Rohingya people.” YouTube, 26 August 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-3cT6pL75c. Accessed 20 January 2026.
Account name.
"Title/caption/description."
Platform name (in italics),
Date posted,
URL.
Accessed date.
Example: TikTok
@refugees. “Everything you need to know about the #Rohingya.” TikTok, 28 August 2020, https://www.tiktok.com/@refugees/video/6866050215850347782. Accessed 20 January 2026.
Account name.
"Title/caption/description."
Platform name (in italics),
Date posted,
URL.
Accessed date.
Example: Instagram
@msf_uk. “Eight years after hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees fled.” Instagram, 30 September 2025, https://www.instagram.com/p/DPO3wbdCWDp/?img_index=1. Accessed 20 January 2026.
Account name.
"Title/caption/description."
Platform name (in italics),
Date posted,
URL.
Accessed date.
Example: Comment section of news article
**Special note** Add the words Comment on before the "Title of the article"
Bonasera. Comment on “Myanmar’s military choreographs an election, with Beijing’s help.” Washington Post, January 2026, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/01/24/myanmar-election-china-junta/. Accessed 2 February 2026.
Account name.
"Title/caption/description."
Platform name (in italics),
Date posted,
URL.
Accessed date.
3. Lateral Reading
3. Lateral Reading
When you search online or scroll social media, complex algorithms decide what you see based on what’s popular and what you’ve clicked on before, not necessarily what’s accurate. This section will show you how to check sources, compare perspectives, and verify information before using it.
What is lateral reading?
What is lateral reading?
Lateral reading means leaving a page and checking other sources to see what experts and other outlets say.
How do I do it?
How do I do it?
Don't rely on the first result or post you see
Open new tabs to read multiple sources on the same topic
Check who created the content and their purpose
Compare how different outlets cover the same story
Use fact-checking resources
Lateral reading resources
Lateral reading resources
Use as part of lateral reading to check the credibility of a source. Look up the source, topic, or organization to get context. Wikipedia can show you the source’s reputation, link to original studies or reports, and highlight any controversies or biases. Use the References section at the bottom of an article to find original, reliable sources. Do not cite Wikipedia itself.
Shows how different news outlets cover the same story from multiple perspectives. Use it to compare coverage, spot bias, and see how reporting can differ depending on the source.
4. Search Term Building
4. Search Term Building
Effective research depends on how you search for information. The open web and databases both rely on search strings, groups of keywords you combine to narrow results. As you learn more about your topic, adjusting your search strings helps you avoid repeated information and find more specific, relevant sources.
Research process at a glance
Research process at a glance
Turning a research question into search strings
Turning a research question into search strings
Research Question:
What are recent events that have forced the fleeing of the Rohingya population and thus created a refugee crisis?
Step 1: Identify Key Concepts
Break your question into main ideas or keywords:
Rohingya
Recent events
Refugee crisis
Step 2: Add Synonyms or Related Terms
Think of possible alternative words or phrases:
Recent events: violence, attacks, persecution
Refugee crisis: displacement, migration
Step 3: Combine Keywords into Search Strings
Now put keywords together using operators and quotes around phrases:
Rohingya AND "refugee crisis"
Rohingya AND (violence OR persecution)
For more information about searching with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), click here
Step 4: Refine as You Learn
As you read sources, you may discover new terms, locations, or actors to add to your search strings. For example:
Rohingya AND Myanmar AND Tatmadaw
Rohingya AND camps AND "humanitarian aid"
5. Source List
5. Source List
This section provides curated sources for your research. As you explore them, record potential and used sources in your Research Tracker. You are not limited to these sources, but they are a strong place to start.
Sources listed with an asterisk (*) may require you to log in. All of our usernames and passwords are listed here:
Background
Background
Provides clear, reliable overviews written for students that are useful for building background knowledge and understanding key terms and concepts.
Brings together encyclopedias and reference works that help you explore background information, related topics, and important context.
Allows you to search across multiple databases at once to find reference articles, news, and academic sources connected to your topic.
Offers documentary-style videos from trusted producers that can help explain historical, political, and social background visually.
Databases
Databases
Gale In Context: Global Issues*
Combines news articles, reference entries, primary sources, and statistics to help you explore current global issues from multiple perspectives.
Infobase Issues & Controversies*
Presents balanced overviews of complex topics with pro/con viewpoints, timelines, and supporting evidence to help you understand debates around global events.
Saving Database Articles in the Research Tracker: When you copy a database article into your Research Tracker, don’t use the web address from the top bar. Those expire. Instead, look for a permalink (usually shown with a chain icon or included in the citation) and paste that link so your source will still work later.
National news
National news
Globally-recognized, not-for-profit news cooperative
In-depth national and world news
Trusted source for business and financial news
National and international news
Accessible only while at school
Sources listed with an asterisk (*) may require you to log in. All of our usernames and passwords are listed here:
Regional news
Regional news
Europe
Publically funded, emphasis on impartial reporting to a global audience
The Guardian (United Kingdom)
Independent newspaper with emphasis on investigative journalism
Reuters (United Kingdom)
International news agency with objective and impartial reporting
Le Monde (France)
News and analysis filtered through French perspective, some content in English
Der Spiegel (Germany)
Primarily focused on Germany and Europe, emphasis on investigative journalism and analysis
El País (Spain)
Right-click to translate with Google; comprehensive coverage of international news
Asia
Al Jazeera (Qatar)
Government-funded, global perspective from non-Western viewpoint
Xinhua (China)
State-owned agency that often reflects the Chinese government's perspective
Japan Times (Japan)
Focused primarily on domestic news
The Hindu (India)
Focused primarily on domestic news
Korea Herald (South Korea)
Focused primarily on domestic news
Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
Focused primarily on domestic news
Africa
TimesLIVE (South Africa)
Focused primarily on domestic news; some articles will be behind paywall
eNCA (South Africa)
Regional reporting and African perspectives on current events
New Times (Rwanda)
Focused primarily on domestic news
Daily Nation (East Africa)
Promotes economic and political integration in East Africa
The Standard (Kenya)
Leading local news source
Latin America
Clarín (Argentina)
Right-click to translate with Google; national and international news
Folha de S.Paulo (Brazil)
Right-click to translate with Google; national and international news
El Universal (Mexico)
Right-click to translate with Google,;national and international news
6. Printing in the LMC
6. Printing in the LMC
Some teachers may require printed sources. This section shows you how to print efficiently in the LMC while saving paper and ink.
Before you print
Before you print
You must have your physical student ID to print in the library
Many articles include large images, ads, and extra content that will waste ink if printed as-is
Always check the article before printing
Prepare the article for printing
Prepare the article for printing
Look for a printer icon first
Databases and some news sites have a printer icon that creates a clean, print-ready version of the article
This is the easiest way to remove extra images and ads
Try printing directly from the site
Use Ctrl+P to print from the browser.
Some sites, like the NYT, automatically remove images when you print this way
Copy text into Google Docs (if needed)
If images or extra content are still present, highlight and copy only the main article text
Paste it into a Google Doc and delete anything unnecessary:
Images
Captions
Ads
Comment section
Printing and releasing your job
Printing and releasing your job
After you click print, follow the instructions located at the printer to release the job
Remember to bring your school ID, which you will need to scan on the front of the machine
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