Reliable Online Resources
The Heritage Middle School Media Center subscribes to ‘real time’ databases. Information is readily available as events occur. All information found within our databases comes from highly reliable sources. Students are encouraged to use the databases first for any research assignment. Although Google.com is a popular search engine, not all of the information found via Google may be accurate.
Two of the more popular research databases available to students here at The Heritage are Points of View Reference Center and SIRS Issues Researcher.
The Points of View Reference Center is a full text database designed to provide students with a series of controversial essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. Essays provide questions and materials for further thought and study and are accompanied by thousands of supporting articles from the world’s top political and societal publications.
SIRS has been the leader in social issues coverage for more than 35 years. Each article offers introductory overview for context including Terms to Know, Perspectives and links to further research. In addition, SIRS:
– Reviews the issue’s pro/con viewpoints with essential questions, answers and resources for each viewpoint.
– Provides relevant, full-text documents and multimedia resources, updated daily.
– Offers sample activity templates for student essays, research papers, debates and a research guide for the critical thinker.
– Links to new collaborative aids, like social bookmarking and note organizers, to discuss and share ideas, then create, present and mash-up student ideas in Web 2.0-style.
– Promotes critical thinking and inquiry-based learning.
– Provides correct MLA citations.
Our databases are password protected. Students will discover the correct username and password needed to access information through their language arts class.
If additional assistance is needed to log on, please see Miss Miller.
