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Buena Vista University

Choosing a research topic

This guide will introduce library resources you can use to help you choose a topic for a paper or a speech.

What's in the news?

Tying your topic to current events can lead to some very interesting speeches and papers.

Pro-Con.org

AllSides.com shows three news items for each topic, one from the conservative media, one from the liberal media and one that is somewhere closer to the political middle.  Both Pro-Con.org and AllSides.com are especially good for persuasive or debate-style assignments. 

Time Magazine

Newsweek magazine

JSTOR Daily Reading lists - while not strictly a "news" source, these reading lists post short explanations of the topic and then link to articles from the JSTOR database on lots of interesting topics. 

Need help? Email library@bvu.edu or chat with a BVU Librarian.

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