CQ Researcher
CQ Researcher reports provide "in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy." Each CQ Researcher report is researched and written by a journalist and includes a "background and chronology, an assessment of the current situation, tables and maps, pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions, and bibliographies of key sources."

Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Opposing Viewpoints in Context provides full-text articles and reference material on wide range of social issues such as immigration, abortion, animal rights, biomedical ethics, gun control, gangs, homelessness, etc.

Points of View Reference Center
Points of View Reference Center is a full text database designed to provide students with a series of controversial essays that present multiple sides of a current issue.

Academic Search Premier
Academic Search Premier is a multi-disciplinary database designed specifically for academic institutions. It includes articles from academic journals, popular magazines, and major newspapers.

Use these databases and websites to find a topic for your speech:

Britannica Academic (Encyclopedia Britannica) Look for a link to On this Day.

Library of Congress Look for a link to Today in History or use those as keywords in the search bar.

This Day in History - From the History Channel. Use the calendar on the upper-left side to find your birthday.

On This Day - From the New York Times. Select the date from the drop down menus.
 

Gale Virtual Reference Library
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a collection of full-text e-books that includes dictionaries, encyclopedias, and reference books in biography, history, literature, medicine, and more.

Credo Reference
Credo Reference contains general and subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, bibliographies, chronologies, handbooks, atlases, and more.

Britannica Academic (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Online version of the complete Encyclopædia Britannica providing coverage of most subjects. Also provides access to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Collegiate Thesaurus, and the Britannica Book of the Year.

Library of Congress
Contains approximately 12 million records representing books, serials, computer files, manuscripts, cartographic materials, music, sound recordings, and visual materials.

Salem History
Salem History is an online database of full-text reference e-books and primary sources. Included are sources on American history, world history, historical events and periods, biographies, and more.

Gale Group Databases
List of all Gale Group databases Normandale Library subscribes to.

Research is a process. You probably won’t find everything you need on the first try. You may have to try several of these databases and search options mentioned above to find all the information you need.

Choosing a Manageable Topic

Choosing and Using Keywords

Ask Us

Call or e-mail a librarian if you need further research assistance. We're happy to help!

  (952) 358-8290

  Email

  Chat with a Librarian 24/7

Your question may be directed to a librarian from another college when Normandale librarians are unavailable.

Access Databases from Off Campus
In order to access databases and other Library resources from off campus, login with your StarID and password when prompted.  Off-campus access to library databases is only available to current Normandale students, staff, and faculty.

MLA Quick Guide
See MLA citation examples for the most common types of sources (8th edition).

APA Quick Guide
A guide to APA citation format based on the 6th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

Smart Mouth: A Public Speaking Tutorial
This tutorial explains how to find sources and integrate them into your speech. The Documentation & Plagiarism section covers how to use oral citations and gives examples. Created by Austin Community College District.