How to Locate and Cite Sources
on Controversial Issues
Dr. Jun Wang
Professor of Library & Information Studies
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Coordinator of Bibliographic Instruction and Information Literacy
Library
Student
Student Learning Outcome
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Be able to get on Delta College Library’s website and log on
to the subscription online Databases on and off the campus
Identify at least two different online databases with
reputable or valid sources on controversial issues
Be able to conduct subject and Boolean logic keyword
searches in Opposing Viewpoints in Context and
PowerSearch
Be able to limit search results to full-text, peer-reviewed
academic research articles
Be able to evaluate and cite the retrieved sources in MLA
style
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Click here to conduct a database search to find peer-reviewed research articles.
Library’s Home Page:
http://library.deltacollege.edu
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How to Find Valid Sources on Your Topics?
Topics
Search
Evaluate
Save
Cite
• Select hot topics on controversial issues from online
databases such as Opposing Viewpoints in Context and
PowerSearch
• Conduct Subject or Keyword searches in both databases
• Limit to full-text and peer-reviewed publications
• Select and evaluate retrieved sources
• Have the full-text article printed or e-mailed or read for you
• Use the Citation Tool to cite the sources and tweak the citations
with the MLA citation guide
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Click on all issues or group of hot issues
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Browse Your Topic from the Issues in Opposing
Viewpoints in Context
Click
on the
topic
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Topic: Objective Overviews
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To be tweaked as the following with the MLA Citation Guide
Works Cited
Bowden, Thomas A. “Individuals Should Have a Legal Right to Choose Death.”
Assisted Suicide. Ed. Sylvia Engdahl. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2009.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2011.
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Conduct a logic keyword search using Boolean operators (And, Or, and Not)
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Find topics from the Subject Guide Search
Click on the cross-reference subject link to see the search result
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Click on the
title or fulltext links to
display the
article and
tools
Cross
References
that will
lead you to
more
sources
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Journal title
Volume #11
Issue # 3
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To be tweaked as the following
Works Cited
Bopp, James, Jr., and Richard E. Coleson. “The Constitutional Case
Against Permitting Physician-Assisted Suicide for Competent
Adults with ‘Terminal Conditions’.” Law and Medicine 11.3
(1995): 239+. General OneFile. Web. 25 Oct. 2011.
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Conduct an Effective Keyword Search



Identify keywords or phrase from your topic for the search
Use one or more Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to thread your keywords
together in needed
Limit your search to full-text articles and peer-reviewed publications if necessary
before clicking on the search button
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Library
Student
Gauging Your Learning Outcome
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How to log on to the library’s subscription online
Databases on and off the campus?
Name two databases where you can find reputable or
valid sources on controversial issues.
Name the kinds of searches you can conduct in the above
named databases.
How to limit your sources to full-text and peer-reviewed
academic research articles?
How to evaluate and cite the retrieved sources in MLA
Style?
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