Your Librarian
Finding Articles for a Speech
Here are the most common databases that you will use to find articles for your speech. You may also want to use a subject-specific database if you need more in-depth information on your topic.
When researching for a persuasive speech, position paper, or pro/con exercise: To locate resources that take a particular stance on a topic, search for your topic and consider including some of the following terms to find appropriate resources:
- analysis
- editorial or opinion (in newspapers)
- commentary
- "public opinion" or "public response"
- opponents or proponents
- "comparative analysis"
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Chicago Tribune (Current) This link opens in a new windowFull-text of current issues of the newspaper, 1996-present
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Chicago Tribune (Historical) This link opens in a new windowFull-text archive of the newspaper, 1849-1998
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Chronicle of Higher Education This link opens in a new windowHigher education news, features and commentary in full-text
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New York Times (Historical) This link opens in a new windowFull-text archive of the newspaper, 1851-2018, including PDF page images of all issues.
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Nexis Uni This link opens in a new windowFormerly Lexis Nexis. Global news in full-text, company information, business and industry news, legal sources, and more.
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U.S. Major Dailies (ProQuest Newspapers) This link opens in a new windowFull-text of major national newspapers including the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal, from 1980 to the present.
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Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowGeneral research database which includes scholarly journals and popular magazines. 9,000+ full-text publications covering most academic subjects. PDF content going back as far as 1887 and searchable cited references for more than 1,400 journals
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JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Full-text of scholarly journals covering most academic subjects.
Reference Sources for Public Speaking
Criteria for evaluating polls
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research has created a list of 20 questions journalists should ask when presented with polling data. This list is useful not only for journalists, but anyone who is interested in evaluating, interpreting, and sharing polling results.
Polling/Data Sites
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Gallup PollPublic opinion polls on a wide range of topics.
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Pew Research CenterFrom the Pew Research Center site: "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."
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The Marist Poll: Pebbles and PunditsRun by The Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College (NY), The Marist Poll measures public opinion on the local, state, and national level. It was the first college-based survey center to involve undergraduates in conducting survey research, a tradition that still continues.
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NORC ResearchThe National Opinion Research Center (NORC) is affiliated with the University of Chicago and its mission is to conduct high-quality social science research in the public interest.
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Quinnipiac PollFrequently cited by journalists, public officials and researchers, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll regularly surveys residents in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and nationwide about political races, state and national elections, and issues of public concern, such as schools, taxes, transportation, municipal services and the environment.
