Speech 3: Persuasive Speech

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Assignment Description

Resources to Gather Background Information

The following resources will provide you some resources for background information. Doing background research will not only help you narrow your focus, but will also help you identify keywords to use when searching the databases for scholarly articles.

Reference Databases

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Includes materials from over 650 reference books on many topics in higher education, including art, business, history, languages, literature, science, criminal justice, and political science.
The CORS platform also will allow students to easily search other sources, such as the library catalog and major research databases. Included are access to “mind maps”, a “tools” page (dictionary, images, etc), and the record tools (citations, translations, etc). Credo also serves as a limited discovery tool in that it connects the student’s search with some of our current databases and our catalog.

Boolean Operators

Using Boolean operators in a database is highly recommended, as this approach usually generates the most useful results. Databases are not "intuitive" like search engines (e.g., Google) - they must be "told" how to process a search query. Boolean operators let you "tell" the database what you want to see in your results.

AND

Use AND to connect KEYWORDS - Retrieves sources with both/all terms [refines search]

Example: diabetes AND adult AND self-management

Use OR to connect SYNONYMS & LIKE CONCEPTS - Retrieves sources with either/any term(s) [broadens search]

Example: heart attack AND (female OR women) AND symptoms

NOT

Use NOT to EXCLUDE word(s) - Eliminates sources with the word(s) following NOT

Example: Omega-3 fatty acids NOT fish oils

Identifying Keywords

When you are conducting your background research on your topic, consider the who, what, when, where and why of what you are reading, and highlight or write the main points down. You can use those as keywords in the databases!

Who, what, when, where and why

Research Databases

Use some of the databases listed below to locate scholarly resources on your topic.

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Full text on current social issues from sources including books, statistical reports, and news publications.
Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
Full-text articles from different points of view on important issues in today's news, plus statistics, images, and more.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Full-text, balanced, comprehensive journalistic reports and analysis of current and controversial issues of the day.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Full text of articles from journals, magazines and newspapers, plus image collections. Users can limit results to scholarly material.
US Major Dailies This link opens in a new window
Provides access to the LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and the New York Times.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Selected full-text from 30 US national and international newspapers and 200 regional papers, plus TV & radio news transcripts.

Database Video Tutorials

Resource Guides

Current Events Resource Guide
by Monica Cammack Last Updated Jul 3, 2024 212 views this year

Statistics

Gallup Poll
(Gallup, Inc.) Gallup has been collecting public opinion polls for over 70 years.
Pew Research
(Pew Research Center) A nonpartisan think tank that combines public opinion polls with demographic research and content analysis on a variety of issues, attitudes, and trends.