LIS 502 - Tracking a Current Topic 

To find current and background information:

• Search the web using a search engine or directory.

HINT: Look for organizations, advocacy groups, university research centers, and government agencies that address the issue. These often have additional links on their sites. See the tabs above for some starting-point websites.

• Search article databases for research studies and scholarly essays.

--- Search databases that focus on LIS and related fields:

Library Literature & Information Science Full Text

Library & Information Science Abstracts (LISA)

Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)

HINT: For help deciding which database is better for your purposes, consult the comparative chart

HINT: See the LibGuide on searching for LIS articles for both general advice and tips on each database.

--- Search article databases outside the field of LIS.

HINT: Broaden your search to databases outside the field of LIS when (a) you find few articles in the LIS-focused databases, or (b) the topic crosses disciplines.

HINT:  For topics with legal implications, search LegalTrac for citations to articles in law journals and legal newspapers.  Then use Hein Online or the library's Online Research Resources database to locate the full text of articles discovered through LegalTrac.

• Search for news stories in newspapers, wire services, and other news sources.

--- Search NewsBank / Access World News for U.S. and non-U.S. reporting.

HINT:  To reduce the number of irrelevant articles retrieved, on the pull-down menu, don't choose "in All Text."

HINT:  To avoid repetitive stories, limit your search to major papers such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal.

--- Search LexisNexis Academic for full-text news stories,  wire service dispatches, Congressional reports, and more.

HINT:  LexisNexis Academic opens with an Easy Search.  The date range is preset to the last 2 years but you can modify it.

HINT:  For guidance in searching LexisNexis, consult the Help files in the database or view the online tutorials.  

--- Search Ebsco databases for full-text newspaper and magazine articles. 

HINT:  At the first Ebsco menu, choose 'General Full Text Journals and Newspapers.'  At the next menu, check 'Academic Search Premier' and/or other databases.   Ebsco databases with articles relevant to this assignment include:  Academic Search Premier (multidisciplinary); Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; Newspaper Source; Business Search Premier; ERIC (covering education); Professional Development Collection (also covering education).