8th+Grade+-+Social+Issues

Welcome to your research guide for your social issues project!
This site will help you quickly locate credible sources for your research. Below are links and instructions on using a variety of resources. You do not need to use them all! You can choose the sources you like the best, but you must use at least THREE sources.

Online Encyclopedia
Encyclopedias give us a general overview of a topic, so it is always a wise way to start to get background knowledge for your topic. Use one of the links below. If you need the password, please raise your hand.

Encyclopedia Britannica World Book Student

Choose one of the following search terms to locate the article that corresponds to your topic:
 * adolescence
 * drugs
 * drug cartel
 * immigration (locate "fourth wave" for current immigration issues)
 * bullying
 * gang
 * domestic violence
 * child abuse
 * divorce

Periodicals
Magazine and newspaper articles are excellent for providing information on current topics. There will be MANY articles on your topic. It is crucial that you sift through the titles of the articles to find only the articles that match your research questions. In order to avoid information overload, you must skim each article, looking only for the answers to your research questions and recording those answers in your own words.

Follow these steps to make your searching easiest:

1. Click on the link below. Use the password for CPS databases. Student Resource Center Junior

2. Type in your topic (immigration, gangs, bullying, domestic violence, etc) and tap Find

3. Look at the navigation bar on the left-hand side to narrow or broaden your search

4. Sift through the titles looking for an article that seems to match one of your research questions.

5. Record the answers to your research question on your two-column notes sheet.

8. Note the article source information (title, periodical title, date, issue, etc) for the article.

Newspapers
You may choose to research using newspaper articles to find more answers to your research questions. Newspapers are outstanding for finding information on current events and local stories. You will need to sift through many articles and skim and scan to find the information that you seek. In this database, you can focus in on Chicago by selecting the Chicago Sun Times or you can broaden your search to the world. Please click on the link below. Raise your hand if you are prompted to login. NewsBank

Think carefully about your search terms. Type in your topic (drug abuse, immigration, domestic violence, gangs, etc). If you notice that you want more specific information, think about a narrower search term (eg. DUI rather than drunk driving, illegal immigration rather than immigration)

Always remember to give credit to your information by writing source information on your two-column note sheet. (title, periodical title, date, issue, etc).

News Broadcasts on NBC
You can use the NBC Live database to search past newscasts on your topic. You will need to login with our CPS database password. Also, grab a pair of headphones before you start any videos.

Websites
You may google search to find TRUSTWORTHY websites. Always question **who** the author is and if they are an **expert** on your topic before taking notes.

Here is a video on how Google works. This will help you improve your searches. media type="youtube" key="BNHR6IQJGZs" width="560" height="315"

If you are researching **gangs**, try one of these websites:

Chicago Police Department. "Building Safe Neighborhoods in Chicago" 1999.

National Gang Center. Frequently Asked Questions

City of Chicago Youth Violence Prevention Program

Cure Violence website. The new name of Cease Fire.