Pro Con Project
Civics & Government |
Research
Library Databases |
These library databases are great places to start your research.
Sign in using your school Google account!
Your username (before the @) and password will let you access databases and resources outside of school.
Sign in using your school Google account!
Your username (before the @) and password will let you access databases and resources outside of school.
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Reliable information offering overviews, news, multimedia content, and opinions on contemporary political and social issues.
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Current news, investigations, opinions, photos, and videos by the journalists of The New York Times from more than 150 countries around the world. Access the archive, including primary sources, via the TimesMachine. Sign up for a digital subscription using your school Google login. Watch this video tutorial to help you get started.
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Presents pro and con arguments of debatable issues with direct sources and citations, as well as further reference information relevant to those issues. Thoroughly researched and compiled by research staff and editors from the Encyclopedia Britannica group.
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Provides background and analysis on an extensive range of issues and topics. Editorially-created overview pages provide background for understanding issues. Further analysis and opinions cover the pros, cons, and everything in between.
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Research Skills
Find guides and tips for upping your research game, from creating targeted search terms to choosing the best information sources.
Email or chat with Ms. Cochran or Mr. Mather with any questions and for further help.
Email or chat with Ms. Cochran or Mr. Mather with any questions and for further help.
The research process
Grow Your Research Garden
Prepare the Soil
Background investigation and thoughtful questions lay a healthy groundwork for your research.
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Plant the Seeds
The librarians and databases can help you locate quality sources that will sprout into your research project.
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Harvest your Crop
Use NoodleTools and Google Drive to organize, compile, and annotate the sources and information you have gathered.
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SEARCH STRATEGIES
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Search Terms & Fields
The words you search for, how you phrase them, and where in the resource you are looking for those words, are key to finding the best resources.
The words you search for, how you phrase them, and where in the resource you are looking for those words, are key to finding the best resources.
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Terms
The actual words you are looking for. PROTIP:
Use quotation marks to search for specific words together in a specific order "Declaration of Independence"
"Civil Rights"
"Chicago Fire" |
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Boolean Operators
Refine and fine-tune your search by combining search terms & fields. Some operators narrow your search, and others broaden your search results.
Refine and fine-tune your search by combining search terms & fields. Some operators narrow your search, and others broaden your search results.
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AND
Results with search terms combined.
Lincoln AND "civil rights"
poverty AND crime |
OR
Results with any of the search terms.
"right to vote" OR suffrage
wage OR income (Great for synonyms and ideas with many different names.) |
NOT
Results with search terms excluded.
"Chicago Fire" NOT soccer
dementia NOT Alzheimer's (Great for targeting a term that has many different meanings.) |
filters & limit search results
Filters & Limiters
After you perform a search, you can sort and fine-tune the results using filters or limiters. Different databases may use different terms, but most will let you filter by the categories listed here.
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Subject
What topics the resource covers Hone in on all of the resources related to a topic. Databases often have specific, controlled vocabulary for topics. "Canines" instead of "dogs"; "hypertension" instead of "high blood pressure." Search multiple subject terms at once using Boolean Operators to get even more specific. You can find a database's specific subject terms linked in a resource's information page, or in a database's Thesaurus Terms. Use those terms to search in the Subject field on future searches. Peer Reviewed — Limits to items from scholarly journals that have gone through a review process by experts in the field. Publication Date
When the resource was created Limit the results to recent years for the most up-to-date information and research. Older results can help find primary sources or show how people in certain time periods understood your topic. |
Source/Content Type
Where the resource was originally published Reference Books of facts with specific entries to cover particular information, like encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, etc. (Ex. Dictionary of American History, Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice) Newspaper/Magazine/Periodical Often shorter articles, for the public and a general audience. Great for overviews, recent news, and opinions about a topic. (Ex. Rolling Stone, Chicago Tribune) Academic/Scholarly/Trade Journal More technical articles for a more specialized audience. Often longer articles that include actual studies and research conducted on a particular topic. (Ex. Journal of Education, American Historical Review) Full Text
If the entire resource can be viewed and accessed on the database Some databases just include information and a citation for the resource, but not the actual resource itself. Limiting by "Full Text" excludes those from your search results. If you see a citation for a resource that you would like to find, talk to the librarians. We can often get that resource for you in just a few days! |
Database PRO-tips
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Abstracts are short summaries of there resource. Read the abstract and subject terms to decide if you want to save the resource and explore it further. This will save you a lot of time! Use the citations and bibliographies of the most useful resources. Search for those authors, or even those exact resources. Find the information those writers used. |
Search multiple databases. Each database has a different collection of resources. Performing the same search will get you even more resources to choose from. |
NEWS & MEDIA LITERACY
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How do you know if news and other online information is credible? Use the four moves of the S.I.F.T. method to help you analyze news, videos, and other information that you encounter online and on social media. 
The SIFT method is a strategy developed by digital literacy expert, Mike Caulfield. All SIFT information on this page is adapted from his materials with a CC BY 4.0 license.
When in doubt, contact an expert - like a librarian!
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Public Libraries
Find more resources like larger book collections, digital eBook and eAudiobook collections, search their additional online databases, and even request more books or journal articles from more libraries.
Your Maine East librarians can help access resources, get a library card, and more.
Your Maine East librarians can help access resources, get a library card, and more.
Des Plaines public library
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Library card: Complete this online application form for a new or replacement library card. A temporary number will be emailed to you, and a physical card will come in the mail. You must bring the card to the library to fully activate it for checking out physical items. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must be with you.
Resources: The Commons
Resources: The Commons
glenview public library
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Library card: Complete this online application form for a new library card. A temporary number will be emailed to you. You must bring a current Photo ID to the library to get your physical card. If you are under 16, a parent or legal guardian must be present when you get the physical card.
Resources: Innovation Center makerspace; Teen services
Resources: Innovation Center makerspace; Teen services
morton grove public library
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Library card: Complete this online application form for a new or replacement library card. A temporary number will be emailed to you. You must bring a current Photo ID to the library to get your physical card within 30 days. After that time, your temporary card will expire. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must be present when you get the physical card.
Resources: Services for teens
Resources: Services for teens
niles-maine library district
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Library card: Complete this online application form for a new or replacement library card. A temporary number will be emailed to you, and a physical will come in the mail. If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign the online form.
Resources: Creative Studio & Makerspace; Teen Underground
Resources: Creative Studio & Makerspace; Teen Underground
park ridge public library
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Library card: Complete this online application form for a new library card. A temporary number will be emailed to you. You must bring a current Photo ID to the library to get your physical card within 14 days. After that time, your temporary card will expire. If you are under 16, a parent or legal guardian must be present when you get the physical card.
Resources: The Studio makerspace; Media Lab; Teen Loft
Resources: The Studio makerspace; Media Lab; Teen Loft
Save Resources & Citations |
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NoodleTools provides integrated tools for citations, document archiving, annotation, and collaborative research and writing. Most library databases will create properly formatted citations and export it right to your NoodleTools project folder.
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Google Docs has a built-in Citation Tool to help you format citations, create a bibliography/works cited page, add footnotes, and more. Watch a tutorial here.
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The Online Writing Lab (O.W.L) at Purdue University is an extensive resource for creating works cited and annotated bibliographies, as well as help with research, writing, and formatting styles.
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