Articles - ENGL 102 - Mundy - Maple Woods - LibGuides at Metropolitan Community College Kansas City

Helpful Databases and Required Sites to Use

Reminder:

The databases listed below are designed to provide both the pro and con side of many topics.
Our databases include K-12 publications. Make sure you are not using an article aimed at younger readers.

CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Published by Congressional Quarterly, with its tradition of nonpartisan reporting and analysis, each CQ Researcher presents an in-depth, balanced account of a current or controversial issue on the public agenda.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Provides viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, court cases, statistical tables, images, podcasts, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

Per your assignment, you must use two texts from from the following sites:

If you need to check the bias of the above organizations, you can find a conservative, neutral or liberal rating for numerous media sites at Allsides. Allsides also presents news headlines and articles from the right, neutral/center, and left points of view.

Common signs of fake news:

Alteration of a credible website. For example: abcnews.com.co. (Often .co is added to the end.)
Sites use satire for humor or to poke fun at people or issues. Information may seem outrageous, and it is meant to be. (theonion.com)
Fake news site may have a large number of advertisements/popups and links to stories that may seem inappropriate.
The site uses all caps or photoshopped pictures.
If the site offers links, follow them. (Garbage leads to garbage.)
Verify an unlikely story by finding the same information on a reputable site.
Check that the headline (tone, facts) match what is actually found in the story.
Check the date and sources of the information. Social media often posts old information with few or no sources.

Check for accuracy, "fake news," and hoaxes here. Common fact checking sites:

FactCheck.org
A nonpartisan, nonprofit consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. Monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
PolitiFact
Snopes
The oldest and largest fact-checking site online, widely regarded by journalists, folklorists, and readers as an invaluable research companion.

General Databases

Academic Search Elite (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
A core resource of scholarly information, with thousands of full-text journals, covering all majors and disciplines.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
An archived database of articles from academic journals in many fields, especially history, sociology, political science, business, education, law, economics, ethnic studies, language & literature, philosophy, religion, music, art & art history, film studies, folklore, the performing arts, health, mathematics, and the sciences.
ProQuest Research Library This link opens in a new window
Provides full-text articles from scholarly journals, magazines, trade publications, and other sources. Wide range of subject areas, including the arts, business, education, health, law, multicultural, psychology, the sciences, and social science.

Ask Yourself . . .

Articles tend to focus on more narrow topics. While scholarly articles go through a peer review process, newspaper and magazine articles do no. Ask yourself the following questions when evaluating articles:

Is the author identified? Are author credentials listed? You can often find information about the author by doing a quick web search.
When was the article written? Is the information current?
Does the article answer your research question?
Look at the length of the article. Is it long enough to provide sufficient content?
What is the level of language: Easy enough for a child? Generally understood by an adult? Scholarly? Technical?
Is the information accurate? You can look at other sources to see if the author's claim is supported by experts in the field.
Does the article contain a list of references?
What is the purpose of the article: To inform? Persuade? Entertain?
What type of publication is it: Scholarly? Professional or technical? Periodical? Newspaper?