Welcome!
"I Have a Dream Speech", Martin Luther King, 1963. Flickr, Creative Commons.
What are library databases?
Library databases collect articles from magazines, journals, and newspapers. The articles contained in each database have been selected by librarians and experts to be credible and authoritative.
Databases are searchable by topic and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and your valid log-in credentials.
Login to the Library
You will need to login to the library in order to view library databases, your library account, or ebooks.
Borrower ID =
My.Seminole.State login name
PIN =
last 4 digits of your social security number OR your student ID number
You can also view this 1 minute video tutorial on how to login or call 407.708.2618 for assistance.
Google Scholar for Articles
Google Scholar is a repository for citations, e-books, and some full-text academic journals.
Check out this short YouTube tutorial on how to link Google Scholar with the Seminole State library databases.
Controversial and Social Issues Databases
These databases are the most commonly recommended resources for speech topics, particularly argumentative or position speeches. These databases focus on social issues, but cover a wide range of subjects.
- SIRS Researcher (SIRS)Good database to begin your research. Content is mostly from magazines and newspapers and allows for easy browsing of topics.
- SIRS Researcher tutorial
- Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale)Focuses on controversial and widely-covered social issues. As the title implies, the content represents multiple viewpoints on issues- great for argumentative essays.
- Opposing Viewpoints tutorial
- Issues and Controversies (Facts on File)Offers a wealth of current topics research information, including pro/con discussions of hot issues, newspaper editorials, numerical snapshots of key topics, photos and graphics, and selected historical source documents.
- CQ Researcher Plus Archive (CQ Press)Explores hot topics and controversial issues often found in the media by providing in-depth expert reports, rather than collecting articles.
General and Multidisciplinary Databases
These databases are useful for a large variety of topics that you may wish to research for a speech project. They are especially helpful if you aren't certain where to begin looking for information.
- Academic Search Complete (EBSCO)Database that is weighted more towards scholarly journals, but has magazine and newspaper articles as well. Contains articles on a large variety of topics.
- Academic Search Complete tutorial
- Academic OneFile (Gale)Good source for most topics. Similar to Academic Search Complete, but with different coverage of publications.
- Americas Newspapers (NewsBank)Good database for newspaper research, topics that may not fit into traditional academic categories, and for local issues.
- OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition (EBSCO)Another very general database that is good for most topics.
Specialized Databases
These databases are subject-specific tools that may be of use to your speech topics. Since this is not an exhaustive list, you may also wish to view the entire list of databases arranged by subject here.
- Biography in Context (Gale)Provides contextual information on the world's most influential people.
- Biography in Context tutorial
- Business Source Complete (EBSCO)A scholarly business database with collection of bibliographic and full text content.
- Education Research Complete (EBSCO)Education Research Center is the definitive online resource for education research. This massive file offers the world’s largest and most complete collection of full text education journals. It is a bibliographic and full text database covering scholarly research and information relating to all areas of education. Topics covered include all levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education, and testin
- ERIC (EBSCO)A guide to published and unpublished sources on thousands of educational topics.
- General Science Full Text (EBSCO)Periodical coverage includes 242 popular science magazines as well as professional journals. General Science Full Text also covers The New York Times Science Section (published weekly on Tuesday).
- GREENR (Gale)A new online resource that offers authoritative content on the development of emerging green technologies and discusses issues on the environment, sustainability and more.
- Health and Nursing (EBSCO)Using this database allows you to search four of the largest health/medicine database at once.
- History Reference Center (EBSCO)Full text from history reference books, encyclopedias, and history magazines as well as historical documents, biographies, photos, maps, and film and video.
- JSTORJSTOR is useful for historical information on many topics. You won't find current research here, but it is the largest collection of journal articles from the past.
- JSTOR tutorial
- Social Sciences Full Text (EBSCO)Full-featured database covering such topics as technology, science, art, humanities, business, law, and social sciences. Many articles in full-text.
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