Recommended Resources
This page provides you with a number of library-recommended databases and resources that may help you with this assignment.
REMEMBER: You must use the Library's databases/resources, and may utilize books, journals, periodicals, news services, etc. The sources used must be reputable (check with your instructor or a librarian if you are uncertain as to the validity of the resources or if you have difficulty finding acceptable or sufficient resources). Your focus must be on the ‘current state’ of the issue, with references covering your subtopic no older than one year prior to your assigned date. A minimum of two references are required!
Background Information
NOTE: Britannica Online can provide definitions, background information, and overviews. This encyclopedia source can be used as an additional source, but not one of your two current library sources.
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Britannica Online This link opens in a new windowCombines Encyclopædia Britannica and Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, periodicals, atlas, world data, the Classics, biographies, news, and multimedia.
Science Magazines and Scholarly Journals
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Science Reference Center This link opens in a new windowContains full-text science encyclopedias, reference books, periodicals, etc. Topics covered include: biology, chemistry, earth & space science, environmental science, health & medicine, history of science, life science, physics, science & society, science as inquiry, scientists, technology and wildlife.
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JSTOR- Sustainability Collection This link opens in a new windowExplore journals, e-books and research reports on environmental stresses and their impact on society. Research spans the Biological Sciences, Business & Economics, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Law, Public Health, Urban Studies, and many other disciplines.
Discovery @ Jefferson College Library
Want to cast the widest net possible to find sources for your assignment? Use the Library's search tool, Discovery, to search through dozens of different databases all at the same time. To learn more about using Discovery, navigate to the Discovery @ the Library tab or click here.
News Sources, Magazines, and Scholarly Journals
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Newsbank This link opens in a new windowContains more than 2,000 news sources from around the country including St Louis Post Dispatch and the Kansas City Star. Find diverse perspectives on topics related to controversial issues, the environment, health, education, science, the arts, literature, business, economics, criminal justice, and more from a variety of current and retrospective news media including newspapers, newswires, broadcast transcripts, blogs, periodicals, videos and web-only content.
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CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowWeekly reports offer in-depth, unbiased coverage of pressing political or social issues including health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Originally created as a means to inform government elected officials about important topics. Covers 1923-present.
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Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new windowFind pro and con viewpoint articles on controversial topics. Includes periodical articles along with thousands of podcasts.
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Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new windowProvides students with a series of controversial essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. Also included are articles from periodicals, books, biographies, radio and television transcripts, primary source documents, images and videos.
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SIRS Issues Researcher This link opens in a new windowContains information on controversial topics of current interest. Provides topic overviews, links, full-text popular sources, multimedia, and websites that are carefully selected from thousands of domestic and international sources.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowAcademic Search Complete offers an enormous collection of full-text journals, providing users access to critical information from many sources unique to this database. In addition, it includes peer-reviewed full text for STEM research, as well as for the social sciences and humanities. Scholarly content covers a broad range of important areas of academic study, including anthropology, engineering, law, sciences and more.
Governmental and Organizational Websites
Government websites are good places to look for current information about environmental topics. You may want to include statistics, legal cases, or state and federal government regulations.
European Union Environmental Statistics
European Environment Agency: Waste & Recycling
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Change Indicators
U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistics
Union of Concerned Scientists Statistics
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Quick Tip: If you want to do a search for government documents in Google or another search engine like DuckDuckGo, type your word or phrase in the search box, (use quotes to keep words in a phrase together), and then add "site:gov" to the end of the search to limit to government websites, e.g. "rare earth minerals" site:gov. You may also want to use the Search tool to limit to results from the last year.