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America Decides: Issues Project

Databases and Online Resources

Submitting an assignment to Turnitin.com will help you ensure that you can avoid plagiarism and over-quoting effectively in your writing. Turnitin.com also offers peer editing and online feedback from your teachers that you can access anywhere.
The Owl Purdue Online Writing Lab houses hundreds of useful writing resources to get you through the research process. Visit Owl Purdue for help with general and specific writing assignments, formatting, and citations. 
EbscoHost offers a broad range of full text and bibliographic databases designed for research.
Opposing Viewpoints In Context is the premier online resource covering today’s hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration, to marijuana. 
In SIRS analysis and opinions cover the pros, cons, and everything in between of 325 social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political, and global issues.
Designed to support global awareness, Global Issues In Context ties together a wealth of authoritative content covering the most important issues of the modern world. 
Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL) provides the top titles in reference and monograph eBooks. 
EbscoHost offers a broad range of full text and bibliographic databases designed for research. (Try: Literary Reference Center )
ABC CLIO American Government is a digital catalog of primary and secondary sources pertaining to the American government.
ABC CLIO American History is a digital catalog of primary and secondary sources pertaining to American history.
ABC CLIO World History: The Modern Era is a digital catalog of primary and secondary sources covering a broad range of topics across the globe since the European Renaissance. 
ABC CLIO World History: The Ancient and Medieval Eras covers a broad range of topics across the globe, ranging from the dawn of prehistories to the beginning of the Renaissance. 
Kansas History, Territorial through Civil War Years, 1854-1865 provides a core of primary source documents for the study of Kansas history.
This comprehensive full-text database provides a broad spectrum of information on thousands of authors and their works across literary disciplines and timeframes.

Bloom's Literature Reference Online examines great writers, important works, memorable characters, and influential movements and events in world literature
Designed to empower researchers, this online tool instructs users in proper research methods, helping them organize and define goals to build the best possible family tree.
EbscoHost offers a broad range of full text and bibliographic databases designed for research. (Try: Applied Science & Tech Index, Medline, Health Source Consumer and Nursing Editions, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection)
Science In Context is an engaging online resource providing contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics.
PubMed comprises more than 26 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
USA.gov is your online guide to government information and services.
American Government covers topics like these that are both tied to the principles of the Founding Fathers and on the minds of Americans today demonstrate how important the role of government is to all of us.
The World Factbook marshals facts on every country, dependency, and geographic entity in the world. We share this information with the people of all nations in the belief that knowledge of the truth underpins the functioning of free societies.
Here you will find data, tools, and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more. 

Use DocsTeach to search through primary source documents for contextual understanding and to glean information to make informed judgments. 
American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. 
From the Discovery space shuttle to the Star Spangled Banner to dinosaur fossils, theLearning Lab gives everyone with a desire to learn the opportunity to explore the Smithsonian's rich resources anytime, anywhere. 
The Testing & Education Reference Center provides users with in-depth information on colleges and universities, graduate and professional programs, distance learning, corporate training, available scholarships and awards, preparatory entrance tests and much more. 
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity.
Naviance college and career readiness solutions help connect academic achievement to post-secondary goals, and improve college and career planning.
Big Future college search engine finds colleges and universities just right for you.
The OOH can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations.
The Kansas Career Pipeline system helps individuals measure their career interests, skills and work values, explore occupations, establish educational strategies, and ultimately connect with Kansas employers who need their talents.
Use Purple Planet to find royalty free, downloadable music.                                             
Find royalty free photos on Flickr. 
Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools.

Search Britannica Image Quest for millions of rights-cleared images.
Use Photos for Class to find photographs that are royalty free.  The website also includes an automatic citation for the pictures.

Useful Web Links

When selecting web sources, remember the 5 W's!

  • Who is presenting the information? 
  • What is the purpose of the website?
  • When was it updated?
  • Where is the author getting his/her information?
  • Why is the source useful to you?
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