IssueWeb: A Guide and Sourcebook for Researching Controversial Issues on the Web

Finding reputable sources can be tricky when researching controversial topics, particularly when using the World Wide Web. This invaluable sourcebook helps you sift through the mountains of information in cyberspace and take full advantage of all the Web has to offer. Valuable instruction on researching hot topics, as well as techniques for evaluating Web information sources, is provided through 40 Issue Briefs. Each brief includes background on the topic, an outline of key controversies, suggested search terms for use in search engines and other databases, and lists of relevant websites divided into five categories―reference, law/legislation, news, data, and advocacy.

Appendices of think-tank and opinion magazine sites provide additional sources for extending research. Students can browse the Issue Briefs to find interesting research topics and use the sites listed in the guide to locate information for projects. Instructors teaching research skills, critical thinking, and source evaluation can use IssueWeb to direct their students to high quality information sources on the Web. Additionally, librarians working in school, public, and college libraries can use it as a reference source to assist their clientele. This tremendously useful sourcebook will prove valuable to high school students, undergraduates, instructors, and the librarians who serve them.

KAREN R. DIAZ is an Instruction Librarian at the Ohio State University Libraries, Columbus. She currently teaches online courses on research skills for college students. She has held positions as Web librarian, reference librarian, and online coordinator in academic libraries. Karen holds a Masters of Library Information Science from Louisiana State University. Other publications include articles and an edited book about online reference and research.

NANCY O'HANLON is currently an Instruction Librarian at the Ohio State University Libraries, Columbus, where she is responsible for developing and managing online information literacy programs. Nancy received an M.S. in Library Information Science from University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1983. In addition to holding various library positions at Ohio State, she was Associate Director of the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education, and has also worked as a freelance Web developer. She has published a variety of articles on instruction-related topics.