COM 2106 – Argumentation & Advocacy
Sources and Strategies for Finding Information
This guide provides a brief outline of sources and search strategies to help you locate information for your Public Forum Debates. This guide is not intended to be comprehensive. For more information and assistance, please contact Kelly McBride, stop by the Reference Desk, or try our Ask a Librarian e-mail reference service.
- Local Media
- North Carolina Information
- Library Catalog
- Library Databases
- Other Sources
- Citing Your Sources
- Where to Go for Help
Local Media
Watauga Democrat
http://www.wataugademocrat.com/
Boone's tri-weekly newspaper.
High Country News
http://www.highcountrynews.info/hcn/
Newspaper covering northwest North Carolina mountain communities
Mountain Times [covering Watauga & Ashe Counties]
http://www.mountaintimes.com/
Weekly paper covering Boone and the "High Country".
North Carolina Community Newspapers
http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ncnews/
Links to over 130 North Carolina newspapers.
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North Carolina Information
High Country Council of Governments
http://www.regiond.org/index.html
The multi-county planning and development agency for the seven northwestern North Carolina counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey.
LINC [Log Into North Carolina]
http://linc.state.nc.us/
Over 1300 data series from 1969 to 2030 about the state's population, labor force, education, transportation, revenue, agriculture, and other topics.
North Carolina Local Government
http://ncinfo.iog.unc.edu/library/guide/local.html
From the Institute of Local Government in Chapel Hill this site provides information on local and regional government; civic organizations; education resources; convention & visitor's bureaus; tourism; statistics and more.
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Library Catalog
The following strategies are designed to help you find information using the WNCLN Online Catalog
Try a keyword search first. Your strategy will either be to use a specific word or phrase that represents your broad topic.
Do a subject search using Library of Congress Subject Headings, either from highly relevant books that your keyword search turned up, or from fairly broad headings that you find by browsing the Catalog by Subject.
Another important strategy for searching for books (using either keyword or subject searching) is to search more broadly than your exact topic. Books on the broader subject might have chapters or sections on your topic.
Reference books can be an excellent source for background information. These may take the form of general or specialized encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, etc.
Check out the following series of books for background information.
Do a title search in the library catalog
Contemporary World Issues
Opposing Viewpoints Series Unnumbered
Microform Newspaper Collection
http://www.library.appstate.edu/collections/microforms/newspapers.html
Belk Library's Microform Collection includes newspapers of local, regional, national and even international interest. The Microforms Newspaper Collection includes information on newspapers housed in the Collection, along with current subscription and holdings information.
A list of current local, regional, and international papers can be found at the Lower Level Periodicals desk - just ask.
Databases
Depending on the focus of your topic, you might find useful information in one of the databases listed below. You may also consult the list of Databases by Subject to figure out which databases will index journals or books from other perspectives related to your debate topics.
Academic Search Premier - Covers a wide array of academic disciplines including biological sciences, economics, communications, computer sciences, engineering, language and linguistics, arts and literature, medical sciences and women's studies.
CQ Researcher - Explores a single "hot" issue in the news in depth each week. Topics range from social and teen issues to environment, health, education and science and technology
America’s Newspapers North Carolina - Provides full text coverage of 14 North Carolina papers, including: Asheville Citizen Times; Charlotte Observer; Elizabeth City Daily Advance; Greenville Daily Reflector; Fayetteville Observer; Greensboro News & Record; Durham Herald-Sun; Raleigh News-Observer; Rocky Mount Telegram; Wilmington Star-News; Winston-Salem Journal.
LexisNexis Academic - Covers newspapers, magazines, wire services, and more.
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Other Sources
ASU Experts Guide
http://www.news.appstate.edu/releases/info/expertguide/media.html
This guide features campus faculty "experts" who can address a variety of topics and issues.
American Rhetoric
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/
Debate.UVM.ECU Debate Central
http://debate.uvm.edu/
International Education Debate Association [IDEA]
http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/
YouDebate.Com
http://youdebate.com/
How To Cite Sources
How to Cite Sources
http://www.library.appstate.edu/reference/reference/howTo/cite/index.html
Belk Library's guide for citing sources in APA, Chicago, MLA, and Turabian citation styles.
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Where to Go for Help
Library Homepage
http://www.library.appstate.edu
The Reference Desk/Information Desk
Phone us at 262-2820 or come by in person.
Ask-A-Librarian
http://www.library.appstate.edu/reference/askref.html
Chat with a librarian
Research Advisory Program (RAP Sessions)
http://www.library.appstate.edu/reference/rap_request
Complete the online form to submit a request for an appointment with a librarians for in-depth research assistance.
Content editor
Kelly R. McBride, mcbridekr@appstate.edu
Learning & Research Services
Last content update 08/20/08