Rio Hondo Community College Library

Eng 101 - Nay Heng
July 21, 2008

Rio Hondo College Library Web site - best place to start research

See Library Web Site Virtual Tour
- Use our catalog to find books - the best place to get overviews, background information, and in-depth treatments of your topic.
  
  Series searches for Opposing Viewpoints, At Issue, Current Controversies
  
  Title searches for Taking Sides, Debatabase
  
  Individual topics:
  Affirmative Action
  Electoral College
  Food prices
  Adoption
  Stem cells
  Gay couples
  interracial adoption
  Interracial marriages
  Same-sex marriage
  Spouse abuse
  
  Notes about WebCat:
  
  The most recent books are listed first. Click on the brief citation to see full record for
  each book.
  
  Library Reserves
  in WebCat Click on Reserve desk
  Enter eng 101 as your search term and click on Course Number.
- Use our online databases to find articles [off-campus access click here]
  - How to find articles in online databases - the best places to get specific information about events or topics; can range from short and very localized reporting to substantial analyses and commentaries. Can be very current or retrospective.
    1. SIRS
      Now offers “Research Guides” on selected topics. Good value but some sources can be a bit dated. Also look at the individual results that come up from your search.
    2. Issues & Controversies from FACTS.com
    3. CQ Researcher (on-campus use only)
    4. ProQuest
      
      For articles in the form of commentaries, opinions, editorials, do an Advanced Search.
      
      a.       Fill out your topic word(s) next to the “Citation and Abstract” window.
      
      b.       Select “Document Type” and a drop-down window will appear -> click on “Commentary” or on “Editorial.”
      
      c.       Click on “Search.”
      
      For ongoing or long-term events, use focused search terms or specify a date range
    5. Gale Virtual Reference Library e-Books **
How to research controversial topics and choose a topic:
http://www.shabelnikdesign.com/controversial/researhchoose.html
How to find authoritative web sites:

Use a subject directory that provides human-selected web sites

Rio Hondo College Library Subject Guides (individually created and researched by Rio librarians) to help you get started on a number of typical research topics.

Web directories
http://www.whittier.edu/tatiana/internettutorial/directories.htm
Librarians Index to the Internet

Selected individual Web sites:
Public Agenda Online
Controversial Topics - from Santa Ana College Library
Editorials/Opinion pages from U.S. newspapers

Search Engines
http://www.whittier.edu/tatiana/internettutorial/searchengines.htm
Tips:
- Follow up web sites that are cited in scholarly journal articles
- In order to obtain better quality web sites on your topic, perform an Advanced Search on your search engine of choice. Hint: Specify the domain from which you want your results to come. For example, for topics marked with * (see chart), try this in Google:

HPV vaccine site:gov
HPV vaccine site:edu

Strategies for evaluating web sites
- See Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools from Cornell University Library
- Evaluating Web Sites (Rio Hondo College)
What about Wikipedia?
- Criticisms:
  - entries can be written by random people or fanatics who love their subjects and may not always be accurate or balanced;
  - anyone can edit and change entries at any time;
  - some entries may not be backed up by authoritative citations;
  - different versions of a page make it difficult to track for citation purposes.
- Kudos:
  - democratic (you don’t have to have a PhD to write ‘authoritatively’ on your special subject or niche topic);
  - strives for an NPOV (neutral point of view);
  - self-regulating (vandalism is dealt with swiftly);
  - can provide useful Bibliographies on topics (may be selective).

	Books	Articles	Videos/DVD	Atlas/Map/ Charts	Web Sites
Affirmative Action	WebCat Use “Affirmative Action” for your Subject search	ProQuest: Search *affirmative action* as subject, then refine - SIRS: download the Affirmative Action research guide. - Issues & Controversies @ Facts.com - CQ Researcher	WebCat - Use Click on the tab Video/DVD search and search affirmative action	SIRS – check “Graphics” in results list	Subject Guides from RHCL site
					Librarians’ Internet Index
					The Affirmative Action and Diversity Project : A Web Page for Research http://aad.english.ucsb.edu/ Current information produced by the University of California, Santa Barbara. This site is an academic resource and it provides scholars, students, and the interested public with on-site articles, and theoretical analyses, policy documents, current legislative updates, and an annotated bibliography of research and teaching materials.
Human Trafficking	WebCat - Use “Human Trafficking” for your Subject search	ProQuest: Search *Human Trafficking* as subject, then refine SIRS Other Online Databases: - Issues & Controversies @Facts.com - CQ Researcher - Gale Virtual Reference Library	Same as above	SIRS – check “Graphics” in results list	Subject Guides from RHCL site
					UK Human Trafficking Centre The aim of this Centre in the United Kingdom is to "increase knowledge and understanding of human trafficking amongst police and partner agencies, as well as raise awareness of the issue and encourage the public to come forward with information."
					HumanTrafficking.org This is an organizational web site funded by the U.S. State Department that contains information on trafficking in many parts of the world.
Immigration	WebCat	ProQuest: Use Suggested Topics, see Subject Guide Emigration & immigration SIRS: Search *Immigration* as subject, then refine Other Online Databases: - Issues & Controversies @Facts.com (older article, but click on Sidebar topics) - Encyclopedia Britannica - Gale Virtual Reference Library - CQ Researcher (use on campus only)	Same as above	SIRS – check “Graphics” in results list	Subject Guides from RHCL site
					Center for Immigration Studies Non-partisan, non-profit think tank devoted to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States.
					National Immigration Forum Pro-immigration site that "advocates and builds public support for public policies that welcome immigrants and refugees and that are fair and supportive to newcomers in our country."
HPV Vaccine* (Human Papillomavirus)	WebCat – books on HPV, little on vaccine	For recent news on vaccine: ProQuest SIRS Other Online Databases: - Issues & Controversies @Facts.com - Medical articles in Health Ref. Center Academic, Health & Wellness Resource Center, Medline Plus, and Highwire Press	WebCat - Try a Video/DVD Search using “Sexually Transmitted Diseases” as a subject	SIRS – consult Sidebars in results list	HPV - Medline Plus
					Human Papillomavirus infection - CDC
					Human Papillovavirus - National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Conflict in Darfur	WebCat - Use “Darfur Conflict” for your Keyword search or Use "Genocide Sudan Darfur" for your Subject search	ProQuest: Search *Darfur Conflict* as subject. SIRS: Keyword/natural language search “Darfur conflict” Other Online Databases: - Gale Virtual Reference Library - CQ Researcher (use on campus only)		SIRS – check “Graphics” in results list	Darfur Information This is the Sudan government's web page on Darfur.
					Crisis in Darfur - article from the International Crisis Group web site.
					The Genocide in Darfur - Briefing Paper

JSevilla-Marzona 02/07

Adapted by JCoe 09/07

Adapted by Tania Shabelnik 01/06

The Genocide in Darfur - Briefing Paper