LibGuides: ENGL 099 Introductory Composition: Finding Sources

Learn about your Topic

Start with Reference Sources for the basic facts about issues, definitions, history, etc.:

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Search for authoritative information in subject encyclopedias selected for courses and programs at Green River College
CultureGrams (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Cultural information, statistics, and reports on more than 200 countries and territories plus US states and Canadian provinces.
Global Road Warrior This link opens in a new window
Country information--basic facts, population, history, economics, society & culture, basic greetings. Includes maps and photographs.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Provides over 25,000 encyclopedia entries covering a variety of subject areas.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Browse by topic or keyword to find information covering a broad range of important issues in health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Weekly reports dating back to 1923.

ProQuest Combined Databases This link opens in a new window
Search millions of articles from ProQuest's electronic collections, including a digital newspaper archive, thousands of academic journals, and popular magazines like Newsweek and Rolling Stone.
Database Tutorial: ProQuest Advanced Search
Database Tutorial: How to Select & Cite Sources in ProQuest (and more)
Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Search more than 18,000 academic journals and magazines from a wide variety of disciplines including more than 7500 full text peer-reviewed journals.
Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Search over 17,000 scholarly journals and other authoritative sources covering biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental sciences, history, marketing, political sciences, and psychology. Access articles from Nature, The Economist, New York Times, and thousands of podcasts and transcripts from NPR and CNN as well as videos from BBC Worldwide Learning.
Database Tutorial: Academic OneFile Advanced Search(Gale)

Information is created and shared across various mediums and at different times after an initial event takes place.

(Click on image to enlarge)

within minutes – here social media platforms “breaks” the story. Info may be incomplete, false, or biased.
Examples: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Blogs, etc.

within days – As time passes, info gets added, updated and verified. Opinions emerge. Examples: cnn.com, BBC radio, New York Times, etc.

within a week – These offer more insight, likely to include context info, interviews, related topics.
Examples: Newsweek, Time, People, The New Yorker

within a month – additional time allows for better reporting. May include opinions.
Example: Time, People Magazine, Wired, National Geographic, Scientific American

Within 12+ months – benefits most from hindsight. Gives most in-depth coverage of a topic.
Examples: non-fiction titles, textbooks, reference materials, etc

Keep this checklist with you to help you ask questions that will organize your research.

Download the “Develop and Map your Topic” brainstorm chart below