If you are not familiar with your topic, you may wish to gather background information so you understand the issues surrounding it. The following resources will present arguments related to current events and issues, background information, and may lead you to other resources.

CQ Researcher
This is a good resource to use if you are seeking background information on a current topic. It provides pros and cons, timelines, bibliographies, and more. Search by keyword or browse through a list of topics.

Issues and Controversies
This is another good place to find background information on controversial issues. Entries provide links to related stories, news articles, and biographical information on key persons related to an issue.

Today's Science on File
This database covers subjects such as health, the environment, technology, life science, physical science, earth and space science, and science and society.

To find articles on current issues, you will need to use an article database to find citations. The following databases cover a variety of subjects, so they are a good place to get started.

Academic Search Premier
This is a general, multidisciplinary database, covering areas such as social sciences, humanities, general science, multicultural studies, education, and more. You can limit to peer reviewed (i.e. scholarly) and full-text publications.

AcademicOneFile
This is another multidisciplinary database, covering areas such as social sciences, humanities, general science, multicultural studies, education, and more. You can limit to peer reviewed (i.e. scholarly) and full-text publications.

LexisNexis Academic
This is an excellent database to search for full-text newspaper articles. Search for articles in a particular newspaper/periodical by clicking on "Sources" at the top of the page and then selecting the particular title.

Although some article databases provide direct links to online journals, many will just provide you with a citation to the article. If you see the Old Well icon (find at UNC), click on the image and follow the links to the full-text article if available.

If there is no "find at UNC" icon, conduct a search on the E Journal Finder, which will tell you if the title is available electronically.

To search for journals using the E Journal Finder:

1. Go to the E Journal Finder page.
2. Enter the name of the journal in the search box (not the title of the article).
3. Press the Search button.

If you cannot find the full text of an article through the E Journal Finder, you can search for a print copy in the online catalog.

1. Go to the Print Journals (Catalog Search) page.
2. Enter the name of the journal in the search box (not the title of the article).
3. Press the Search button.

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