Before you jump directly into choosing the articles needed for your essay, take some time for pre-research. You'll be glad you did! Pre-research is exactly what it sounds like:
Pre-research gives you a better idea of what kinds of information is available on your topic (and where to look for more). From what you find, collect useful keywords or key phrases to use in searching for more directly relevant or focused information.
These materials, pulled out by the instructor and posted in Week #7 in Canvas, are great places to look for key words and phrases for searches - as well as helpful context and background to the ideas expressed in Ibram X. Kendi's book(s).
Use an academic encyclopedia to get an overview or background information. Here are some online encyclopedias:
Formally Gale Virtual Reference Library, Gale eBooks is a database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. These reference materials once were accessible only in the library, but now you can access them online from the library or remotely 24/7. Because each library creates its own eBook collection, the content you see may vary if you use the database at different libraries (your school, your public library, or your office).
U.S. History is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in U.S. History. U.S. History merges Gale's authoritative reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
World History in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events and topics in World History. World History merges Gale's authoritative reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
These databases include material from a very wide range of disciplines. Doing a quick scan of the titles and brief descriptions of search results here will give you an idea of the scope of information available, and suggest keywords or phrases to use in a more focused search later.
Academic Search Complete is a multidisciplinary database and thus can be used to find information on research paper topics for any of your classes at Cañada College. This database includes newspaper articles, magazine articles, academic journal articles, images, and reports.
GALE Power Search allows you to search all of the Gale databases at once! Including Gale OneFile, Gale in Context, Literature Resource Center, and Gale eBooks.
Use what you've found in your pre-research to figure out if you need to broaden or narrow your original idea when crafting your research question.
This useful online tool from the University of Nevada Las Vegas can help you narrow your topic if it's too general:
But sometimes we can narrow our topic too far. If your searches come up with little or no results:
One of the best sources for an argumentative opinion paper is the database Opposing Viewpoints.
Opposing Viewpoints is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. Drawing on the acclaimed Greenhaven Press series, the solution features continuously updated viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.