INFORMATION SOURCES
Evangel University Library Research Guide
SPEECHES AND SPEECH TOPICS
2009
This guide is designed to provide information sources, useful to those needing to critique or develop a
speech. Examples of speeches are provided as well as suggestions of sources for ideas that may be used in
speeches.
HELPTUL ONLINE WEB SITES
Yahoo! Directory: Speeches
http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/Communications/Public_Speaking/Speechwriting/Speeches/
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Speeches (And Tips and Helps for Speakers)
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=speeches&all=yes&cs=UTF-8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories
Speeches that Changed the World http://www.biographyonline.net/speeches/index.html
15 Tips for Making a Great Speech http://ezinearticles.com/?15-Tips-For-Making-A-Great-Speech&id=1242
How to Prepare for a Great Speech
http://www.notelay.com/articles/how_to/how_to_prepare_for_a_great_speech/
How to Prepare the World Class Speech…
http://www.ehow.com/how_4874674_speech-audience-will-truly-remember.html
Good Speech Topics http://www.goodspeechtopics.com/
Great Persuasive Speech Topics
http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/great_persuasive_speech_topics
Great Informative Speech Topics
http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/great_informative_speech_topics
STATISTICS AND POLLS
The best speeches need to have supporting facts. Many of these facts may be found in handbooks,
almanacs, or in specialized magazines.
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Statistics
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=speeches&all=yes&cs=UTF-8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Polls
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=Polls&all=yes&cs=UTF-8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories
World Almanac and Book of Facts (annual) Ref AY 67 .N5 W7 This presents many facts and cites the
original source of the facts.
Statistical Abstract of the United States: The National Data Book (annual) Ref HA 202 .U5x If facts can
be quantified they are probably published in this book. The index gives table numbers, not page
numbers.
Bureau of Justice Statistics. Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics (annual) Ref HV 7245 .N37b This
is an example of a specialized source of statistics which will give even more detailed statistics on a
specific topic.
Gallup Poll Results from recent polls taken by The Gallup Poll are compiled into books. Ref HN 90 .P8 G35
Public Perspective: A Roper Center Review of Public Opinion and Polling. Periodical. It is similar to the
Gallup Poll above but gives polls taken by another organization.
GENERAL INFORMATION SOURCES
Opposing Viewpoints Series. This series of books is scattered throughout the collection. Researchers may
find all the volumes by entering “Opposing Viewpoints” as a Keyword phrase search in the Online
Public Access Catalog.
Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues Ref AC 5 .T3 The volumes provide PRO/CON
articles on many social issues.
CQ Researcher. (Online) This reports and analyzes current social issues of national and international
significance. It provides footnotes, a supplementary reading list, and an index. It has a Pro/Con link
on the left of the screen. [Former title: Editorial Research Reports]
World New Digest: Facts on File. (Online) A world news digest drawn from over 70 major newspapers and
magazines. It has fact boxes, maps, tables, cross references, and an index.
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970. Ref HA 202 .B87 It is a compilation of
older statistics taken from the Statistical Abstract of the United States above.
ProQuest (Online) It indexes and provides full text to thousands of magazines and journals.
General FileOne and Academic FileOne (Online) These databases provide access to thousands of full text
journals and periodicals.
General Science Index. It indexes science journals and is on the index table.
Education Index. (Online) It indexes education journals. There is a Thesaurus to help focus the search.
ERIC (Education Resource Information Center) www.eric.ed.gov It indexes hundreds of journals and
thousands of education documents. There is a Thesaurus to help focus a search.
Fine Arts and Music Collection (Online) This is provided in the Gale / Cengage family of databases.
Music Index. It indexes music and music education journals.
GOVERNMENT TOPICS
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Government Information
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=government+information&all=yes&cs=UTF8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories , or TinyURL http://tinyurl.com/mh9fam
Congressional Digest. Monthly magazine. It is a good source for PRO/CON arguments given concerning a
topic debated in the U.S. Congress.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. Weekly magazine. It contains statements, speeches, and
other Presidential materials released the previous week. This is cumulated into the Public Papers of
the Presidents series. Ref J 80 .A283.
CQ Weekly (formerly: Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report). Weekly magazine. It reports what Congress
is doing, plans to do, and has done. It also includes Government news relating to the Presidency
and Supreme Court. This is cumulated into Congressional Quarterly Almanac Ref JK 1 .C66, and
the quadrennial Congress and the Nation Ref KF 49 .C653.
THOMAS: In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, legislative information from the Library of Congress (Online)
http://thomas.loc.gov/ It provides what is purported to have been said in Congress, bills handled, and
votes taken.
CONSUMER ISSUES
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Consumer Issues
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=consumer+issues&all=yes&cs=UTF8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories , or TinyURL http://tinyurl.com/nb2xha
Consumer Reports. Monthly magazine.
Association for Consumer Research (Online) http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/ Use their search engine.
BUBL Link: Consumer Research: Catalogue of Internet Resources
http://bubl.ac.uk/link/c/consumerresearch.htm
EXAMPLES OF CONTEMPORARY SPEECHES
Vital Speeches of the Day. Periodical. It is a collection of speeches given by noteworthy people.
Representative American Speeches. (Annual) PS 668 .B3 It is a collection of speeches given by
noteworthy Americans.
EXAMPLES OF OLDER SPEECHES
DMOZ: Open Directory Project: Historic Speeches
http://search.dmoz.org/cgi-bin/search?search=historical+speeches&all=yes&cs=UTF8&cat=Reference%2FDirectories, or TinyURL http://tinyurl.com/l28gd3
Speech Index. Ref A1 3 .S85 It is an index to speeches of orators from the earliest times to the present.
American Public Addresses, 1740-1952. PS 662 .B27
Famous Speeches in American History PS 662 .C3
Rhetoric of Black Revolution PS 663 .N4
Treasury of Great American Speeches PS 662 .H8
American Speeches on Twentieth Century Issues. PS 668 .W7
Messages and Papers of the Presidents Ref J 80 .A28
ONLINE PUBLIC ACCESS CATALOG
For information in specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and related sources, the researcher
should use Subject Browse in the OPAC. This will display ways a subject is included in a subject heading.
The researcher may then highlight and access any combination of those displayed. They may also use the
Keyword search strategy to find everything that includes one or more words within a source. The Builder
search allows the researcher to limit a search by Language, Location, Date, Medium, or Type of material.
The Library of Congress Subject Headings provides subject headings and cross-references to help
researchers find subject headings used by the Library of Congress.