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Biology 1.1: Media Bias: Research Databases

Featured Database: GreenFILE

"GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more."

Research databases

OVIC

Issues: Understanding Controversy & Society

 

What Are You Looking For?

Each Group Must Evaluate 4 Media Sources:

  • One source must be factual and unbiased
  • One source must be informative and biased in support of an affirmative answer to the question (i.e. Should…? YES)
  • One source must be informative and biased towards a negative answer to the question (i.e. Should…? NO)
  • One source can be a “wild card” (you must identify which type of source it is)

HELP! Searching Research Databases

Using a research database is a great way to find magazine, journal and news articles, as well as eBooks, recommended websites, primary sources and other reputable or scholarly information. Keep in mind, these sources often count as PRINT sources.

You have access to many research databases through both Portsmouth High School and the public library.*  The databases on this page have been selected because they contain content that is most relevant to your research and topic. 

* If you can't remember the username/password to use the databases, please see Mrs. Hunicke or Mrs. Pacheco in the library.

Don't forget to check your local public library to see what other great resources your local library has to offer!

Here are some things to keep in mind while searching databases:

  • Start with more general search terms (search terms are things like author, title, subject and keyword); this will not limit your results so quickly.
  • Consider limiting your results to full-text so that when you find the perfect article, you can actually access the whole thing.
  • As you begin to locate and review the materials your search produces, you can adjust your search terms accordingly.
  • More general and fewer search terms will yield a higher number of results; more specific and a greater number of search terms will yield fewer and more focused results. 
  • As you become more of an expert in your topic, your research will naturally become more focused.

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