Skip to main content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.
This guide was created in Fall 2016 for students in the Fundamentals of Speech Communication course taught by Professor Aucoin. The tabs above offer guidance on finding, evaluating, and citing sources to be used in the informative and argumentative speeches required as part of the course.
Where to Search
The best place to start searching is usually the main search box on the library's homepage.
The main search box provides access to books, periodicals, scholarly (peer reviewed) academic journal articles, ebooks, media, and credible online resources--all with one simple search. Entering a few keywords in this box will automatically search over 60 separate databases, each of which includes material from literally thousands of different sources.
There are a few special databases, though, that are particularly helpful to students in 100-level English classes. These databases are online collections of the types of credible materials that most professors want students to use in their academic research assignments, papers, and speeches.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Gale Virtual Reference Library is a database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
The CQ Researcher provides in-depth coverage of the most important issues of the day. The reports are written by experienced journalists, footnoted and professionally fact-checked. Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research.
Points of View Reference Center
This full-text database is designed to provide students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. The database contains 255 topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument) and Critical Thinking Guide.
Access to full-text articles, news, statistics, images and web links on a number of topics and social issues.
[ Select "Use my location" on intro screen to start your session ] Includes Encyclopedia Britannica plus Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, magazines and periodicals, and many other research tools including a world atlas, a tool to compare countries side by side, and a tool that includes comprehensive statistics on every nation of the world.
Academic Search Complete
Covering most areas of academic study, this scholarly, multi-disciplinary database contains more than 6,100 full-text periodicals and offers access to monographs, reports, conference proceedings and much more.