Guides: COM 180 Public Speaking &amp; Rhetorical Analysis: Finding & Researching Topics

Finding Topics

Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
Information on social issues including articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, interactive maps, videos, and streaming audio.
ProCon.org This link opens in a new window
Non-biased pros and cons of debatable issues, plus reference information relevant to those issues.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Provides professionally fact-checked and footnoted reports on the most current and controversial issues of the day.

Finding Academic Articles - Essential Databases

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Primary multidisciplinary database at Pepperdine. Use the "choose databases" link from the main search page to include other EBSCO databases such as Business Source Complete, Education Full Text or GreenFile.
Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Content from CommSearch and Mass Media Articles Index along with other peer-reviewed journals in communication, mass media, and related fields of study.
ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) This link opens in a new window
Access to literature and resources covering education topic from pre-K through graduate school, sponsored by the US Department of Education.
PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
The American Psychological Association’s (APA) resource of peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health.
Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Provides full text for peer-reviewed journals in all disciplines of business, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics.
Sage Journals Online This link opens in a new window
Access to the full text journals in Business, Communication, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology and Medicine.
Taylor & Francis Social Science & Humanities Library This link opens in a new window
Access to peer reviewed journals covering Behavioral Science; Education; Business, Management & Economics; Media, Cultural & Communication Studies; Politics, International Relations; Sociology; Sport, Leisure & Tourism.

Finding Statistical Information

Statista This link opens in a new window
Statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources, includes access to the Global Consumer Survey .

Statista Citation Example:
Public Religion Research (2020, September). Religious affiliation in the United States 2017, by age. Statista. https://www.statista.com/

Please note Statista also has its own citation generator; click on the quotes icon on the right hand side of a graph to select the graph's citation format and output.

United States Census Bureau Data This link opens in a new window
Leading source of up-to-date demographic data about the United States people and economy.

PewResearchCenter
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions.

Finding Policy, Images & Reference Information

Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is the digital encyclopedia of American politics, and the nation’s premier resource for unbiased information on elections, politics and policy. Ballotpedia is nonprofit and nonpartisan, not affiliated with any political campaign or advocacy group. Ballotpedia currently has more than 390,000 encyclopedic articles; content includes neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections and candidates.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that helps overcome legal obstacles to the sharing of knowledge. One goal of Creative Commons is to increase the amount of openly licensed creativity in “the commons” — the body of work freely available for legal use, sharing, repurposing, and remixing. Through the use of CC licenses, millions of people around the world have made their photos, videos, writing, music, and other creative content available for any member of the public to use. Use the Openverse link to find CC-licensed and public domain content, video and audio.

Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Access to encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
Policy Commons This link opens in a new window
Reports on urban affairs, agricultural and environmental sciences, economics, social justice, gender equality, international development, sustainability, public health, legal and public policy.
Rand Corp. Publications This link opens in a new window
Research reports on Children and Families, Education and the Arts, Energy and Environment, Health Care, Infrastructure and Transportation, International Affairs, Law and Business, National Security, Public Safety, Science and Technology.

Finding Newspaper & Periodical Articles

U.S. Major Dailies (ProQuest Newspapers) This link opens in a new window
Access to The New York Times (1980 - present), Washington Post (1987 - present), Los Angeles Times (1985 - present), Chicago Tribune, (1985 - present), and Wall Street Journal (1984 - present).
New York Times (ProQuest U.S. Major Dailies) This link opens in a new window
Indexing and full-text access from 1980 to current date.
Los Angeles Times This link opens in a new window
Indexing and full-text access to the Los Angeles Times. Covers 1985 to current date.
Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window
National & international papers include: The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Times (London), Toronto Star
Regional papers include: The Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, The Miami Herald, Daily News (New York), San Jose Mercury News.
Television & radio news transcripts from CBS News, CNN, FOX News, NPR, and others.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Features news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis®—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. For help on how to use Nexis Uni, visit the research guide.
This database is only available to current Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff.

COM 180 Public Speaking & Rhetorical Analysis

Research & Instruction Librarian

Finding Topics

Finding Academic Articles - Essential Databases

Finding Statistical Information

Finding Policy, Images & Reference Information

Finding Newspaper & Periodical Articles