Library Guide
This guide will introduce you to some of the different types of resources that can be used to conduct research about the same-sex marriage debate.
Tips for Better Searching
Find Background Information
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works are a good place to begin if you need a short overview of your topic.
Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family
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REF HQ 9. E52 1995 |
Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History in America
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REF HQ 76.3 .U5 2004 |
Find Books
Books are thorough, detailed, and in-depth, plus often include historical information. Do you want to understand the evolution of the marriage debate?
Try a book as an excellent starting place.
Marymount Library Catalog Find books in the Marymount collection (over 22,000 titles) Search by "marriage" using the "subject" button. We have many books, e.g. "Marriage and Same Sex Unions: A Debate". |
http://onlinecatalog.marymountpv.edu/webopac/main
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How to Use the Library Catalog Uncertain of how to use the catalog to find books? No problem - watch this short video and learn the basics.
Click on the bottom right-hand corner of the video to watch it in full-screen mode. |
Find Magazines & Journal Articles
Your Library pays for access to specialized databases where you can find magazine and journal articles online. These materials cannot usually be found using Google (unless you'd like to pay $30+ per article!). Some articles are available in full. Other times you might only find a summary of the article with information about where and when it was published. In this case, speak with your librarians as we can usually get a copy from another library.
The databases are available from the Library’s web page at http://library.marymountpv.edu. Click on “Find Articles” in the Research section. You can also access these sites from home (see Off-Campus Access), simply by logging in with your student ID.
CQResearcher In-depth reports on current social issues (e.g. "same-sex marriage") written by seasoned journalists. Report includes an overview, background and chronology, current situtation, pro/con statements, and bibliographies of key sources.
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http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/ |
Opposing Viewpoints Search for a social issue (e.g. "marriage") and find academic articles, commentaries, viewpoints, news articles, statistics, and suggested websites.
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http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/start.do?prodId=OVRC&userGroupName=marymount1 |
Academic Search Premier Good for finding scholarly discussions on inter-racial marriage and same-sex marriage.
*Watch a short how-to video on finding articles in Marymount Library
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ProQuest Direct Good for finding scholarly discussions on inter-racial marriage and same-sex marriage.
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http://proquest.umi.com/login |
Recommended Websites
When you are doing research using Google or another search engine, you must always apply the criteria of credibility, quality, and currency.
Pew Research Center for the People & the Press The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world It does not take positions on policy issues. Among many others, Pew published a July 2009 Report "The Gay Marriage Debate: Where It Stands".
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Opposing Viewpoints Websites Search Opposing Viewpoints for "marriage" etc, and then select the "websites" tab in the results lists. These sites were reviewed and selected by a team of researching using specific editorial criteria.
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http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/start.do?prodId=OVRC&userGroupName=marymount1
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Citing Sources
Marymount Library Citation Guides: Available for MLA and APA citation styles
For help citing sources, contact your library or visit a librarian in-person.