LibGuides: Fake News & Bad Info: Media Literacy Resources: Researching

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Reach out to a librarian if you have any questions about finding information in the library databases. Use the Ask-a-Librarian button at the left, or check beneath my profile pic below to see if I'm online for a Chat or feel free to reach out to me via email as well! I'm happy to help!

Learn How to Use Western Library's Database

Developing Search Terms

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How do I know what words to enter into the database's Search Box?

You may be assigned a topic to research or you may be asked to choose your own. Your topic will be your starting point in choosing search terms. Highlight terms that appear in your assignment

Types of search terms:

keywords - a general list words related to your topic.
subject searches - see words listed or bolded in databases
- nouns - the names of something or someone -- people, things, places
  - example - "conspiracy theory," "Big Foot," QAnon, "Great Replacement Theory," ("critical race theory" OR CRT), Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson
Make a list of main search terms
Create a list of alternate search terms - synonyms (different words that mean the same thing)
- WHY? Different authors will use different terms that mean the same thing so If you can't find enough information using one search term, another
- Consult a Thesaurus to find related or alternative words or synonyms.
Combine search terms:
- `"anti-Semitism" AND "fake news"
- "Sandy Hook" and hoax

News Sources - Library Database

Newspaper Source Plus (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Find more than a thousand state and national newspapers with millions of full-text articles, as well as nearly a million television and radio news scripts.
Newswires (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
This database provides real-time access to world-wide news from the Associated Press, United Press International, CNN Wire, Business Wire, and other news outlets around the world. Get the latest updates on topic in the areas of politics, business and finance to sports and entertainment.
U.S. Newsstream (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Find articles from current and past issues of key national and regional sources including the Wisconsin State Journal, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Green Bay Press Gazette, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, Newsday, and Chicago Tribune.
Archive of Wisconsin Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Find full-text daily and weekly Wisconsin newspapers from 2005 to 90 days ago, plus a few old newspapers from the 1800s and 1900s.
Regional Business News (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Find regional business publications from the United States and Canada. Topics range from presidential candidates, to franchise restaurants, to the retail industry, to business planning, political participation, and more. Content includes newspapers, radio and television news transcripts, trade publications, magazines and newswires with full-text content coverage provided by The Washington Post, PR Newswire US spanning more than 20 years of coverage.

Library Databases - Current Events

Learn more about "Fake News" and other current events issues using the databases below.

SIRS Issues Researcher (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Use this database if you need to find a research topic to complete an assignment. This database dives into current global social issues and provides content such as analysis and opinion via pro/con articles, government documents, primary sources, newswires, charts, maps, images, statistics, newspapers, magazine, and scholarly journal articles, as well as links to websites. Topic groups include business and economics; communication and technology; environment and science; world culture and politics; ethics; civil rights and liberties; school, family, and youth; and health and wellness.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale in Context) This link opens in a new window
This is a great source for assignments related to current events and important social issues. This database contains full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, biographies, primary source documents, statistics, images and podcasts, and links to websites. Additional features include pro/con viewpoint articles, topic overviews, court cases, and issues of interest. Choose a research topic from a wide range of areas from genetic testing to gun safety to women in professional sports, to recycling, cell phones in schools, or medical technology, and much, much more.

Researching Social Media using Western Library Databases

Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
A great resource for writing assignments. Browse a wide list of subject categories from the database’s home page to find articles and information from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and multimedia. Content is provided in the fields of biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental science, history, marketing, political science, psychology, and more. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
A giant database that covers a wide range of topics. Use it to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles, as well as articles from trade journals, newspapers, and magazines.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Use this database to understand basic concepts taught in your courses. It's also a great database for the first step in your research process. It contains short articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and other reference sources on a wide range of subjects. Get started on your assignment or research project by learning about key people, places, dates, events, concepts, and ideas related to your topic.
MasterFILE Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Find content from full-text general-interest magazines and newspapers, with content that includes essays, short stories, and poetry. Also find journal articles and reference books, in a wide range of subjects including business, health, fashion, sports, personal finance, and more.

VISUAL SEARCHING

Try out the Topic Finder Tool in Gale OneFile databases such as Communication and Mass Media (below). For example: you are searching for articles using the search term social media and fake news and a colorful chart of subtopics appears Click into individual subtopic cells to bring up a list of articles.

Communications and Mass Media (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
This database focuses on all aspects of the communications field, including advertising, public relations, linguistics, and literature found in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, primary source documents, and multimedia. A great source for students and faculty in graphic design, digital media, marketing, leadership and other fields where knowledge and information about communication are important. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.