GC Library: ENGL 1301: Professor Gettman

English 1301 Research Essay

Overview: Take a stance on a current ethical issue, backed by research, and present a well-structured argument. Once you have a narrowed ethical issue topic, you will research this topic, narrowing your topic into an argument. Integrate source texts into your argument, presenting a clear stance on the issue and providing reasons for your position and the points discussed in the body of your essay.

Topics: To choose a topic, you will reflect on the story/plot of the character you wrote about in your previous essays. Find possible ethical issues present in the storyline and choose one that you think would be interesting to research. Once you have a narrowed ethical issue topic, you will research this topic, narrowing down your topic into an argument. If you struggle to think of an issue you are passionate about from the story plot, you might choose a topic you are personally passionate about.

Research: Use 8 varied sources (library, news, videos, journals, textbooks, *your interview with a mentor) to support your essay's points.

Databases
Books/eBooks

Recommended Databases for this Assignment

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Complete is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database. Academic Search Complete has more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 9,810 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc.
If you need help with basic database searching, watch the video tutorial to learn how to create a Basic Search.
Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Academic Video Online is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary video subscription that supports the entire range of curriculum, from anthropology to zoology. It includes a variety of video material available with curricular relevance: documentaries, interviews, feature films, performances, news programs and newsreels, and demonstrations.
If you need help with basic database searching, watch the video tutorial to learn how to create a Basic Search.
College (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Gale In Context: College offers interdisciplinary content that reinforces the development of skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Learners can access news content including full-text newspapers and periodicals like The Economist, The New York Times, National Geographic, Newsweek, Popular Science, Smithsonian, and more. Empower learning with hundreds of thousands of images, videos, and audio selections that include archival film clips, broadcast video, BBC News, New York Times video, and NPR.
Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
The Films on Demand Master Academic Collection encompasses a broad array of core academic collections, available for individual purchase as well. With a vast library comprising over 341,000 video clips, 45,000 full-length videos, and spanning more than 28,000 hours, this comprehensive package caters to diverse educational needs. Encompassing subjects such as English, World Languages, Engineering, Technology & Society, Education, Sociology, Earth Science, Criminal Justice & Law, Counseling & Social Work, Communication, and Business & Economics, it provides extensive coverage of essential academic disciplines. Additionally, this collection includes specialized areas like Art & Architecture, Psychology, Political Science, Physical Science, Philosophy & Religion, Music & Dance, Mathematics, History, Area Studies, Health & Medicine, Archival Films & Newsreels, Geography, Anthropology, and Environmental Science, ensuring a comprehensive resource for academic exploration.
Gender Studies (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Gale OneFile: Gender Studies provides balanced coverage of this significant aspect of culture and society. The database offers access to scholarly journals and magazines covering topics including gender studies, family and marital issues, and more.
Gun Regulation and Legislation in America This link opens in a new window
Provided free of charge by HeinOnline, the Gun Regulation and Legislation in America collection contains an array of primary and secondary source materials and brings together essential documents on the difficult and controversial topic of regulating firearms in the United States.
JSTOR Open Access This link opens in a new window
JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, eBooks, and primary sources. This database includes content across the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. The library does not subscribe to JSTOR, this content is accessible through open access.
MasterFILE Complete This link opens in a new window
MasterFILE Complete provides full-text periodicals covering an extensive range of subject areas including business, health, education, fitness, sports and leisure, personal finance, general science, multicultural issues, DIY, and fashion.
This database also contains full text for more than 870 reference books, 73,000 primary source documents, 70,000 Associated Press videos, and an Image Collection of 1.6 million photos, maps & flags. MasterFILE Complete now offers PDF backfiles (as far back as 1975) for key publications including American Libraries, Foreign Affairs, History Today, Judaism, Library Journal, National Review, Saturday Evening Post, etc.
News (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Gale OneFile: News is a full-text newspaper resource providing access to major U.S. regional, local, and national newspapers, as well as leading titles from around the world. It also includes thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts and transcripts.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires, and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints is the premier online resource covering today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
Opposing Viewpoints is a rich resource for debaters and includes viewpoints, reference articles, infographics, news, images, video, audio, and more. A category on the National Debate Topic provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more.
Opposing Viewpoints In Context is a rich resource for debaters and includes pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more. A category on the National Debate Topic provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more from sources such as The New York Times, Newsweek, Foreign Policy, American Scientist, and Education Week.
Popular Magazines (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Gale OneFile: Popular Magazines provides access to the most searched magazines across the OneFile products. All of the titles are selected based on actual publication searches performed by library patrons and the database includes many titles recommended by Bowker's "Magazines for Libraries."
ProCon This link opens in a new window
ProCon.org is a non-biased information source for our users. ProCon present sourced pros and cons of debatable issues, as well as a host of reference information relevant to those issues, thoroughly researched and compiled by research staff and editors.
TOPICsearch This link opens in a new window
TOPICsearch helps teachers, librarians and student researchers can use this database to explore current events, social, political and economic issues, scientific discoveries and other popular topics frequently discussed in the classroom.

Recommended Books & eBooks for this Assignment

Below are a few examples of books and ebooks that could provide resources for your assignment. For additional material, you can utilize the Whitecaps OneSearch from the Library homepage.