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Contemporary Ethics
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Reference Desk (413) 774-1509 |
Selected Specialized Encyclopedias
Use reference sources to choose a topic, understand terminology, locate background information, and identify good search terms.
- ETHICS R 170.3 E84
- FACTS ON FILE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ETHICS R 170.3 T318en
- SOCIAL ISSUES IN AMERICA: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA R 361.973 S678
Choosing a Topic
Use the reference sources above to choose a topic in the area of contemporary ethics or use the lists of issues provided in the Current Issues Databases below or the Selected Internet Resources on current issues at the bottom of this guide.
Finding Books (and more) in the Online Catalog
Information on topics in contemporary ethics may be found in many areas of the library collection. Use reference sources to identify good search terms (See Social Issues in America). Search those terms in the catalog to locate books and other materials on the topic of interest.
To locate Opposing Viewpoints volumes in the collection, search Opposing Viewpoints as a title in the catalog. Then browse the titles to choose a topic.
The online catalog is an electronic index to the materials owned by the Boyden Library.
- A major advantage of an index is the ability to search by subject
- The catalog is also a database consisting of a record for each item owned by the library, regardless of format
- The information in these records is organized into fields that can be searched (author, title, subject)
- Keyword searching is also possible
- An advantage of keyword searching is the ability to combine several concepts
- Because searching by keyword searches the entire record for each item in the database, it can result in more "false hits"
- The catalog is available on the Internet and can be accessed from your dorm or home via the library website
Searching by Subject
Subject headings found in catalog records are chosen from a standardized list of headings created by the Library of Congress-this is called a "controlled vocabulary".
- When searching the catalog, pay attention to the subject headings and subheadings attached to useful resources for your topic
- Subject headings are excellent search terms that can assist with constructing new searches and locating additional resources
- Subject headings identified in the catalog are often the same headings used in research databases
Searching by Keyword
Try a keyword search using the subject terms already identified if there is a need to search multiple concepts. Example: death penalty and United States.
- The greatest advantage of keyword searching is the ability to combine multiple concepts in the search
- The <and> narrows the search to require that both "death penalty" and "United States" appear in each of the records for the items that are retrieved
- Using <and> to narrow the search, is called Boolean logic
- <And> is called a Boolean operator
- Boolean logic is a powerful tool and is used for searching most databases
- Google also uses Boolean logic
- When two words are typed next to each other in the Google search window, Google assumes <and> between those two words
- Remember to consider all possible ways to express the topic--what about "capital punishment"?
- New search: (death penalty or capital punishment) and United States
- <Or> is another Boolean operator--it broadens the search
Finding Articles in Research Databases
(go to DA Orgs/Library for off-campus access)
Current Issues Databases
- CQ Researcher Plus Archive (1923-present)(full text)
Online version of a weekly periodical that provides in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues--each weekly issue includes a chronology, a pro and con section, and a bibliography--"the Archive adds a new historical dimension to the CQ Researcher site, extending its coverage beyond politics and current events to the fields of history, sociology, cultural studies, and other social sciences" - NewsBank (full text)
Provides the full text of articles from 3 Massachusetts newspapers (Boston Globe, 1980-present; Republican (Springfield, MA), 1988-present; Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA), 12/31/2003-present with selected coverage from 11/21/1997-11/04/2003--includes Hot Topics links and Special Reports - Opposing Viewpoints (full text) (Tutorial )
Incorporates secondary sources and articles from major newspapers and news magazines to provide coverage of major issues of the day--includes statistics, government data, laws and legislation, political positions, public policies and more - TOPICsearch (full text)
This current events database offers over 100,000 articles from newspapers and periodicals and includes biographies, public opinion polls, book reviews, pamphlets, and government information
To find out what the general public thinks about specific major issues of the day, consult public opinion polls.
General Databases cover all academic disciplines. Try any of these general databases:
- Academic Search Premier (full text plus citations and abstracts only)
A general academic database that indexes over 8,000 leading publications in all subject areas and provides full text for over 4,000 of those titles - JSTOR (full text)
An archive of core scholarly journals back to the 1800's--due to agreements with journal publishers, does not include current issues from the last 3-5 years--includes an Arts & Sciences Collection and Biological Sciences Collection - InfoTrac Web--search more than one database at a time with this link or search them individually below:
General OneFile (1980-present)(full text plus citations and abstracts only)
Indexing, abstracting, full text, and images for newswires, general interest magazines, refereed academic journals, business and technology publications, plus specialty titles in law, health care, and computers--full indexing of 5 major newspapers
Academic OneFile (full text plus citations and abstracts only)
A general academic database that indexes leading journals and reference sources--includes full text of the New York Times, 1995-present
Expanded Academic (1980-present) (full text plus citations only)
Indexing, abstracting, full text, and images for articles in all academic disciplines
General Reference Center (1980-present) (full text plus citations only)
Indexing, abstracting, full text, and images for articles from general interest and business periodicals--includes the text of 15 reference sources
Reference Databases include general and specialized encyclopedias:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica Online (full text)
Includes links to websites evaluated by the editors of the encyclopedia - Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Law and Political Science Databases cover legal issues:
- Lexis-Nexis (news, law & legislation, statistics)(full text)
"Includes major U.S. and international newspapers; leading magazines, wire services and broadcast news transcripts; statistics and historical information; non-English language publications; and Federal and state case law, codes and legislation, both enacted and pending"
Selected Internet Resources
(Websites should always be evaluated for authorship, accuracy, and currency)
- Documents in the News: (U. of Michigan links to background materials on government issues in the news)
- Hot Topics Supersites: (San Diego State University)
- Hot Topics (U. of Louisville)
- Multnomah County Library Homework Center: Social Issues
- Hot Paper Topics (maintained by an academic librarian at St. Ambrose U.)
- Ethics Updates
- Public Agenda Issue Guides: (nonpartisan opinion research and civic engagement organization provide facts and figures, perspectives and analysis based on surveys of the public about controversial topics)
- Debatabase: (an online debate topic database containing pros and cons of issues--includes websites)
- Social Issues (Multnomah Co. Library)
- International Topics and Issues (U.S. Department of State)
- Pew Research Center: Reports by Topic
- Brookings Research Topics
- JusticeLearning (see the links for Issues and the Issues Archive)
Need help with citing sources?
MLA Citation Style Guide
NoodleBib (citation management tool)