(1)
ONLINE
Web Sites

Via LAMP’s
Internet Resources
Internet By Subject

WEB SUBJECT DIRECTORIES

• On the resulting page, in the table of interest categories and subjects, click on Current Issues & Hot Topics.
• What results is a list of Web sites that have been reviewed and are recommended by RCCD Librarians as giving good, authentic, authoritative, reliable information about various social and public policy issues.
• If you use these Web sites, you're assured that the information from these sites is valid.
• These kinds of lists, usually arranged by interest or subject categories, of reviewed and recommended Web sites (like RCCD Library's Internet By Subject) are called WEB SUBJECT DIRECTORIES

MORE GOOD WEB SUBJECT DIRECTORIES

• Links to other good Web subject directories, among many, are given immediately below the Internet By Subject table, in the section beginning: "For even more subject links ...." 
• For example: Librarians Index to the Internet is always a good starting point for searching the Web for sites giving good, authoritative, reliable information. 
• And INFOMINE - UCR Library’s world renown Web subject directory

FROM LAMP's INTERNET RESOURCES, INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS

• Also from LAMP's Internet Resources, click on Internet Search Tools, then on the section Subject Directories.
• Click on DMOZ and on the resulting page, click on "Society," then on "Issues."
  • On the resulting page, bottom third of the page, click on any of the many "hot topics" issue areas listed.
  • Or in the middle third of the page, click on "Directories" for Web sites listing other Web sites giving information about many different "hot topics."

GOOGLE’s [Web Subject] DIRECTORY TOO!

• From this list of GOOGLE's "Web subject directory" categories, click on SOCIETY ... then on ISSUES.
• What results is a 3-column list of issues about which there is lots of current discussion, debate, and dissension.

RIO HONDO [community] COLLEGE LIBRARY's SUBJECT GUIDES "HOT TOPICS"

• Here's a list of several good Web sites that in various ways give you or lead you to information about various controversial topics.

EVALUATE WEB SITES! 

• Finally, when using any information from the Web, take time to evaluate it to determine its authenticity, authority, reliability, etc.
• See LAMP's Internet Resources, Evaluating Resources
  

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ONLINE
Reference Resources

Via LAMP’s
Electronic Resources
Reference Resources

OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS RESOURCE CENTER

• On the first screen, left side in two columns, is a long list of controversial social/public policy issues.
• Click on one of these, and immediately what results is a list of articles and other statements expressing varying viewpoints about that topic.
• Note too the TABS along the top of the results screen – click on some of these to see what happens. 
• Also from the initial screen, middle right side, click on “Spotlight on” feature.
• For more help with this interesting, very useful information system, on the top right of the screen, click on HELP, SEARCH TIPS, RESEARCH GUIDE, or TOOL KIT.

FACTS.COM

• From the initial search screen, in the right-column box, under “Special Features,” click on “Issues in the News." 
• What results is a list of issues - that, when you click on any of these, is a full-text overview of that issue. 
• Note the left column of this screen and look for the section "Overviews" (you may have to scroll down the screen to see this section in the left column).
• Once you're there, look for any links starting with "Issues and Controversies” - which by clicking on these result in excellent, comprehensive discussions of the topic indicated.

CQ RESEARCHER (via Lamp’s Electronic Resources, E-Journals)

• Offers excellent, highly regarded, comprehensive overview reports about many timely, topical issues.
• Each report includes a “Pro/Con” section, plus many other helpful features too.
  

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ONLINE
Magazine & Journal
Articles

Via LAMP’s
Electronic Resources
Periodical Indexes

EXPANDED ACADEMIC ASAP

• Do BASIC searching set to KEYWORD ... on phrases like: “pro and con," "editorial," "symposium," and "panel discussion."
• What results are lists of these types of articles that offer differing viewpoints about various controversial issues.
• Look through these for articles about specific social and public policy issues of interest to you.
• OR click on BASIC SEARCH (a link in the upper left corner of the screen - and the one just to the left of Results). 
• You're now back at the BASIC SEARCH screen you used initially and in the text box you can now add other words and phrases to those already there. 
• So if "symposium" is already in the text box, add to the right of it the word "and," then a word or phrase descriptive of your topic. 
  • EXAMPLE: symposium and abortion.
• Use EXPAND/LIMIT at the top of a list of results to limit to articles with FULL TEXT immediately online AND/OR to articles from peer-reviewed (scholarly/academic, professional, technical-level publications).

GENERAL REFRENCE CENTER

Ÿ        Follow the directions above for Expanded Academic ASAP

INFOTRAC ONEFILE

Ÿ        Follow the directions above for Expanded Academic ASAP

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ONLINE
Newspaper
Articles

Via LAMP’s
Electronic Resources
Periodical Indexes

THREE ARE LISTED:

• America’s Newspapers
• The Press Enterprise
• ProQuest Newspapers

KEYWORD SEARCHING

• Search by using keywords and phrase you think of to describe social and public policy issues of your interest.
• From the list of article titles that results, consider limiting these in various ways - for example, to the "article or document" type EDITORIAL, for articles that give varying opinions about our topic.
  

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NOT ONLINE
Reference Books

In the DLLRC
2^nd Floor, West Wing
In counter-height
shelves near the
Information Desk.

For use in the library.

REFERENCE BOOKS

• We have many REFERENCE BOOKS on all aspects of human life and interest.
• Ask librarians to help you find those most relevant to your information/research needs and interests. Examples include:
  • Encyclopedia of Social Issues - Reference HN57.E59 1997 (in 6 volumes)
  • Social Issues in Science and Technology - Reference Q175.5.N49 1999
  • Women's Issues - Reference HQ1115.W6425 1997 (in 3 volumes)
• Again, ask the librarians for more reference books like these that can be found both in the REFERENCE (2nd Floor) and CIRCULATING (3rd Floor) collections.
  

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NOT ONLINE
Circulating Books

In the DLLRC, 3^rd Floor
West & East Wings

For checking out
of the library.

Use LAMP’s
Library Catalog,
click on KEYWORD

LOOKING FOR AN ISSUE TO RESEARCH?

• In the KEYWORD search-statement box type in quotation marks: “opposing viewpoints” or “current controversies” or “contemporary issues” or “reference shelf" - then click on SEARCH or press the <Enter> key.
• What results is a list of titles in the RCCD Library (most recently published listed first) in these respective series (OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS, CURRENT CONTROVERSIES, ETC.)
• These books address a wide range of social and public policy issues - issues about which there's lots of discussion and strongly held, differing opinion, etc.
• Look through this list to select an issue of interest to you.

IF YOU ALREADY KNOW AN ISSUE YOU WANT TO RESEARCH

• Alternatively, if you already know an issue you want to research, then do a KEYWORD search in the Library Catalog:
• Type the word/s or phrase/s you're thinking of to describe your topic — then the word AND — then one of the phrases above ("opposing viewpoints," etc.) — to see if there's a book in one of these series about your issue. Examples include:
  • abortion and "opposing viewpoints"
  • "civil liberties" and "current controversies”
• Remember to enclose phrases (two or more words expressing a single concept) in quotation marks.

OR SIMPLY KEYWORD SEARCH

• Type a keyword or keywords descriptive of your social/public policy issue, then click on the SEARCH button at the bottom of the screen or just press the <Enter> key. 
  • For example: abortion OR child abuse OR death penalty (capital punishment) OR gay marriage, etc.
• What results is a list of titles of books and other items in the RCCD Library (most recently published listed first) that have the keyword/s that you searched someplace in their full descriptions. 
• Click on an item to see its full description.
  • Note the SUBJECT section of this description — where the official indexing terms (SUBJECT HEADINGS) for an item are listed.
  • Click on those SUBJECT HEADINGS that best describe or seem most likely to give information about your social/public policy issue. 
  • What results is another list of books and items in the RCCD Library with that same SUBJECT HEADING, therefore about that same subject. 

    NOTE: This list is arranged alphabetically by the title of the items listed.  Sort this list by date (for most recently published items listed first), by clicking on the SORT button at the top of the screen; then in the drop-down window to the left of this SORT button, click on the down arrow, then click on “Reverse Year,” then click on the SORT button again.
      

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NOT ONLINE
Media
DVDs, CDs, Etc.

Shelved at the
Circulation Desk
2^nd Floor, East Wing

But first
ask the librarians
to help you
determine what media
the RCCD Library has.

NOTE:
Media cannot be checked out
of the library but can be viewed or listened to in the library

FROM LAMP’S LIBRARY CATALOG - CLICK ON KEYWORD

• In the search-statement box type a keyword or phrase descriptive of your social/public policy issue.
• Remember to enclose phrases (two or more words expressing a single concept in quotation marks).

NOW, IMPORTANTLY

• Just below this search-statement box and to the right, note the MATERIAL TYPE box.
• Click on the down arrow to the right of this box and what results is a drop-down menu.
• Click on VIDEO:SLIDE or SPOKEN RECORD to see what video (DVDs, video tapes, etc.) or sound recordings (lectures, speeches, radio broadcasts, etc.) the RCCD Library may have on your social/public policy issue.
• If you get some results that look likely to give you helpful information, note the CALL NUMBER of the item you wish to view or listen to.
• Then go to the Circulation Desk, second service point - to ask about viewing or listening to these media items in the library.