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ENG: Government and Power (Southworth)

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Summon Search Examples:

  • "freedom of speech" AND campus
  • ("free speech" OR "freedom of speech") AND (college OR university)
  • college AND "free speech" AND controversy
  • (college OR university) AND controversial AND speakers

Summon doesn't have everything! Check out the tabs below to search for more specific types of information. For more help searching, visit the Search Effectively page.

Find Sources

public opinion iconThere are pro and con sources that present facts along with expert commentary and analysis. There are also sources that have a specific bias and are trying to persuade the reader (you) of a specific point of view.

Use pro and con sources . . .

  • to explore a topic from different perspectives
  • when writing argumentative papers
  • to prepare for a debate or persuasive speech

Important Points:

  • The author(s) will not typically state their agenda or tell you if they are for or against a topic. It is up to you to determine if it is objective or persuasive.
  • The author(s) may or may not have done research on the topic. Check for a list of sources (citations).
  • If there is a list, it may only include sources that support the views of the author and may not include sources that support a different point of view.

Search for Pro/Con and Opinions:

The following list of library databases include different sides and perspectives on many different topics. 

Video iconVideos from reputable publishers are great resources for learning more about a topic. The library provides several databases that include streaming videos, animations, and tutorials. 

Why use videos?

  • Visualize scientific concepts
  • Get first-person accounts from scientists and researchers
  • Download and search transcripts
  • Skip to video segments that are related to your topic

Search for Videos

News IconInformation written by reporters (journalists) on topics of current interest.

Key Features of News Sources:

  • Intended for a general audience; commonly written at about an 8th-grade reading level
  • Reviewed by one or more editors for quality and accuracy
  • Provide information on a recent event or topic of interest
  • Provide the perspectives of average people, not experts

IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all news sources are created equal! Some have hidden (or obvious) motives or political beliefs. Do some background research into who owns the news organization to learn more about it.

Search for News:

Books IconIn general, be sure to use books written for an academic or scholarly audience instead of those written for a popular audience.

Why use books?

  • Depth - provide in-depth analysis of a topic
  • Broad Coverage - provide broad coverage over one or more topics
  • Comprehension - can help you understand a complex topic; books are easier to read than journal articles

 

Remember!

  • You may only need to read one chapter of a scholarly book.
  • Books contain less recent information due to the lengthy publication process.

Search for Books: