Argumentative Topic: Global Warming

Class: Eng 112 / Instructor: Relling Westfall

 

Scope  ll  Online Search Techniques  ll  Finding Books via the Library Catalog 

Finding Articles via the Library Databases  ll  Off-campusAccess

Web Sites  Citing Sources  ll  Ask a Librarian for Help

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Scope:

Global warming, also known as the greenhouse effect, is the warming of the earth's surface and atmosphere due to "the release of 'greenhouse gases,' such as carbon dioxide. These gases are released into the air from burning gas, oil, coal, wood and other resources which then holds heat in an action similar to the walls of a greenhouse." (pbs.org) This handout serves as a guide to research information on global warming at JSRCC Libraries.  

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Finding Books:

To look for books available at JSRCC Libraries, you can search the VCCSLinc Library catalog

 

Sample Subject Key Words to Search in Catalog:

Global warming, Ozone layer depletion, Climatic changes,  Greenhouse effect

 

Browse books by Call Number:   QC912-999

 

Selected Books available at JSRCC:

• Climate crash : abrupt climate change and what it means for our future
• Global Warming
• Global warming :  a very short introduction
• The weather makers : how man is changing the climate and what it means for life on Earth
• High tide : the truth about our climate crisis
• Ozone depletion and climate change : constructing a global response - [electronic book from NetLibrary]

 

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Finding Articles:

You can find authoritative articles on global warming through the plan to use the databases from off-campus, you will need to login with Off Campus Access ."My JSRCC" login.   For more information see: library databases. 

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Finding overviews to understand the basics of the discussion about global warming: 

 

CQ Researcher

CQ Researcher offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues.  Each report is written by a seasoned journalist based on a common structure. Users may browse through articles by topics in alphabetical order, or search for articles using words, dates, or other criteria.

 

CQ Researcher search tips:

Type global warming in Quick Search box.  You will retrieve a list of related reports on global warming.

 

Issues & Controversies

Presents and enhances the full backfile of Issues and Controversies On File. Provides balanced coverage of over 600 controversial topics in the news.

 

Issues & Controversies search tips:

Click on "Access All Topics" from "Quick Access." Then choose Global Warming from the A-Z list.  You will get a balanced analysis and sidebars including key events, statistics, related articles and overviews.  

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Finding Viewpoints and Debates on Global Warming: 

 

Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center

Provides a complete one-stop source for information on social issues. Access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to web sites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

 

Opposing Viewpoint Resource Center search tips:

Choose "Global Warming" from the "Popular Topics" list.  You will find viewpoints, reference overviews, magazine, and journal articles, news, primary documents, statistics from Gallup, and NPR podcasts and transcripts.  

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Finding more articles on your refined topics:

 

Academic Search Complete

Comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 4,600 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,500 journals and a total of more than 10,000 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. The database features PDF content going back as far as 1887, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for nearly 1,000 journals (EBSCOhost)

 

Environment Complete

Offers coverage in applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. Environment Complete contains more than 1,772,000 records from more than 1,680 domestic and international titles going back to the 1940s (including 1,108 active core titles) as well as more than 100 monographs. The database also contains full text for more than 650 journals. (EBSCOhost) 

 

EBSCOhost database search tips:

Try an Advanced Search and type the keyword, global warming.  Select SU Subject from the menu on the left. You can also type secondary keywords such as human activity or greenhouse effect in the 2nd and 3rd search windows. 

 

Or try a Basic Search using Boolean operators and truncation.  See example below:

(global warming OR climate change) AND human activit*

 

For more information about online search strategies, check:

http://teach.jsr.vccs.edu/library/online-search-techniques.htm

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If you have the citation of an article, how to obtain the full text?

 

• Check JSRCC Full Text Periodicals List from Serials Solutions

• Check local libraries

• Use Interlibrary Loan Services

 

For more information, check:

http://teach.jsr.vccs.edu/library/researchguide/stepthree.htm#ILLarticle

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Selected Web Sites: 

• Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis - A Report from Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange,written by 600 climate scientists from more than 40 countries and was reviewed by some 620 other scientists.

• Global Warming - from US Environmental Protection Agency

• Global Warming - from Natural Resources Defense Council

• Global Warming FAQs - from National Climatic Data Center

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Citing Sources:

To learn how to compile your Works Cited list in MLA, please check:

http://teach.jsr.vccs.edu/library/assistance/citation.htm

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Need more help?

Visit the reference desks at JSRCC Libraries or Ask a librarian@JSRCC!