Guides: COM 241: Public Speaking: Persuasive Speech

NOBLE Catalog (Books)

Finding Books
Finding eBooks

NOBLE Catalog Search
Search the Jenks Library catalog for books, eBooks, audiobooks, scores, etc.

Tips for Searching the Catalog

Use the basic search box and enter any combination of keywords into the search line.

Subject Headings
Once you run a few searches and find a few books about or related to your topic, use those records as jumping off points for related information. On a book's record, look for the Subject section. Scan the list of linked subjects for any that are near your topic. Clicking on those subject links will provide a list of all other books with Jenks that have also been tagged with this same subject.

How do I find ebooks in the NOBLE Catalog?

Wondering how to access books at Jenks Library if you’re not on campus? The answer is ebooks! Jenks Library has150,000+ ebooks available, all searchable within our NOBLE Catalog. eBooks are really useful for distance learners, because you can access them from your device where ever you are. This video will walk you through how to find and access ebooks within the NOBLE catalog.

Having trouble viewing this video. Watch it on the Jenks Library YouTube Channel.

What ebook collections are available?

Jenks Library has several ebook collections available to search, but all of our ebooks are searchable in the NOBLE Catalog, so please use that. Additionally, many publishers have made ebook content freely accessible during this time. See the list below.

eBooks on EBSCOhost This link opens in a new window
Ebook titles in subject areas such as art, business and economics, literary criticism, mathematics, performing arts, philosophy, political science, religion, science, social science and more.
OverDrive This link opens in a new window
Downloadable audiobooks and ebooks including fiction and nonfiction for adults, teens and children. Looking for more content? Browse and borrow from neighboring CLAMS, CW MARS, Minuteman Library Network, MVLC, and SAILS Library Network through our reciprocal lending program.

Media Bias

How do you address media bias when choosing news and mass media to support your persuasive argument?

All sources are biased. Bias does not always mean a source is less credible.
Find common ground from sources of differing perspectives.
Pull from diverse sources, even if they disagree.

Resources for Understanding Media Bias

AllSides Media Bias Chart
This chart examines bias, not credibility, by surveying people across the political spectrum on articles from different news sources.
Adfontes Media Bias Chart
This media bias chart charts bias and credibility. It is compiled by a panel of experts (representing left, center, & right-leaning perspectives) analyzing a sample of articles from each source.
The Flip Side
A free direct-to-email daily news source created by a bipartisan team that aggregates news from multiple perspectives on one topic each day.

Library Databases

Viewpoint Databases

Gale in Context: Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Information and opinions on current social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana, and includes topic overviews, journal and news articles, primary source documents, statistics, infographics, multimedia, and vetted websites. Browse by topic, including the National Debate Topic, food waste, mental health, pollution, and racial profiling.
Formerly called Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Gale in Context: Global Issues This link opens in a new window
Current, international news and viewpoints on global issues and current events. Use this resource for background information and analysis of social, political, military, economic, environmental, health, science-related, and cultural issues.
Formerly called Global Issues in Context

Newspapers

Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window
Provides content from hundreds of U.S., international and regional newspapers. In addition, it offers television and radio news transcripts from major networks including CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, NPR and more.

Boston Globe
Current issues of the Boston Globe are available in the 4th floor newspaper section of Jenks Library. Issues from 1997 to the present can also be viewed online. Older issues dating back as far as 1872 may be viewed using the Boston Globe Archives. Contact the circulation desk or email library@gordon.edu for access to the online archives.
New York Times
Current issues of the New York Times are available in the 4th floor newspaper section of Jenks Library. Issues from 1985 to the present can also be viewed online. Older issues dating back as far as 1851 may be viewed using the New York Times Archives. Contact the circulation desk or email library@gordon.edu for access to the online archives.

Multi-Disciplinary

Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window
Provides millions of articles from over 17,000 scholarly journals and other authoritative sources—including thousands of podcasts and transcripts from NPR and CNN as well as videos from BBC Worldwide Learning.
Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Ultimate is our largest multidisciplinary database of academic journals, magazines, periodicals, reports, books and videos.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
A collection of core scholarly journals, many going back to the first volume. Emphasis is on back issue coverage. JSTOR also has an extensive collection of primary sources.

Subject Specific

Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
Scholarly business journals and publications covering marketing, management, accounting, finance and economics. Business Source Premier also includes market research reports, industry reports, country reports, company profiles and SWOT analyses.
ERIC This link opens in a new window
Articles, research reports, and digests from education-related journals and the U.S. Department of Education.
APA PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
World's largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed literature in behavioral science and mental health. Produced by the American Psychological Association, it includes more than 4 million bibliographic records and indexing of more than 2,500 journals.
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive sociology research database that contains full text for more than 630 journals and magazines, as well as books, monographs, and conference papers. Covers various areas of study including gender studies, criminal justice, social psychology, racial studies, religion and social work.

Statista This link opens in a new window
Statistics portal integrating statistics and other quantitative data on over 80,000 topics including media, business, finance, politics, and more.

CRAAP

C	R	A	A	P
Currency	Relevance	Authorship	Accuracy	Purpose
Look for the publication date of the website, frequent updates, and dates for specific articles.	Does the information provided by the website meet your research need?	Websites can be produced by individuals or organizations. Reputable websites will have authorship information easily visible, including both the authors' names and credentials.	To use information in your research it must be judged accurate and verifiable before use.	A website's purpose is the reason it was created. This should be very clear. Note that some websites might present opinions as facts, but they are actually attempting to sell a product or persuade you.