LibGuides: GLBL 130: Introduction to Global Studies: Finding Information for Your Presentations and Research Proposals

Getting started

Not sure where to start? Try one of the library databases or websites listed below.

Don't forget, you can also search the library's catalog, SpartaCat, for books and other materials on your topic. Or try our EBSCO Discovery Service tool to search our collection and many of our databases at the same time.

Background information, statistics, and data about countries, cultures, population groups, or situations

Library databases

Britannica This link opens in a new window
The online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica; great for finding country information.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Use this source to find long reports covering popular controversial or current topics. Each report covers the background of the issue, current happenings, looking to the future, and pro/con arguments.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
A searchable collection of reference books covering all subjects. Read full articles from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and more. This source also includes images, videos, statistics and maps. Great for finding country information.
Gale EBOOKS This link opens in a new window
A collection of searchable reference sources like encyclopedias and dictionaries, covering all subjects.
Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
Issues & Controversies explores and analyzes hundreds of hot topics in politics, business, government, crime, law, energy, education, health, family, science, foreign policy, race, rights, society, and culture. Full reports on current or controversial topics and issues that include an introduction, history, supporting and opposing arguments, timelines, and statistics.
Gale in Context Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Look here for articles on alternative points of view on controversial issues.
Gale in Context World History This link opens in a new window
Covers themes, trends, and people from world history. Contains full text articles, maps and images, with many primary source documents.

On the Internet

CIA World Factbook
Background information on every country in the world: geography, people, government, economy, communications, military and transportation. Maps and flags are included.
BBC News - Country Profiles
These profiles provide brief overviews of the history, politics and economic background of countries and territories and their key institutions.
World Digital Library
An international digital library operated by the United States Library of Congress with support from UNESCO. Provides free access to manuscripts, rare books, maps, photographs, and other important cultural documents from all countries and cultures.
HathiTrust Digital Library
Collection of content from research libraries, the Google Books project, and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives.
Reliefweb
A service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Reliefweb monitors and collects information from more than 4,000 international and local humanitarian agencies, governments, think tanks, research institutions, and the media.
UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency
A program of the United Nations, UNHCR seeks to protect the rights of refugees, asylum-seekers, displaced communities, and stateless people, and assist in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country. Provides information and reports about current refugee emergencies.
UNICEF
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. Their focuses include shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflicts, education, and equality. View comprehensive research and reports, including ones on young migrants and refugees.
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization strives for global peace, security, freedom, and human rights by promoting international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms.Their Country profiles provide socioeconomic, education, literacy, and science statistics.
WHO
The World Health Organization is a United Nations agency focused on international public health.
UNDP Human Development Reports
The United Nations Development Program's country development reports and statistics.
The World Bank - Understanding Poverty
The World Bank organization offers financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world by providing loans and grants to support investments in education, health, public administration, infrastructure, financial and private sector development, agriculture, and environmental and natural resource management. Explore open development data, analysis, reports, and publications, or key global development topics.
United Nations Data
Statistics compiled by the United Nations (UN) and other international agencies. Focuses on agriculture, crime, communication, development assistance, education, energy, environment, finance, gender, health, labour market, manufacturing, national accounts, population and migration, science and technology, tourism, transport, and trade. Also includes country profiles.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Data
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an organization of 189 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
World Bank Open Data
Open access to a comprehensive set of data about development in countries around the world. View statistics by country or indicator.
Eurostat
Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union, processing and publishing comparable statistical information about member countries. Browse data and statistics by theme or alphabetically,or explore publications like the Eurostat Regional Yearbook 2018.
Human Rights Watch
An international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocates for human rights.
openDemocracy
Reporting and analysis of social and political issues, with a focus on freedom, justice, democracy, and human rights.
Amnesty International
A global non-governmental organization focused on ending abuses of human rights. Their Country and Regions profiles and their information on refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants may be especially useful.
US Department of State Countries and Areas
Bilateral relations fact sheets provide information and insight into the United States diplomatic relations with other countries.

News articles about the current situation, history of problems, and personal stories

Library databases

ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
This database provides access to many different types of sources and publications but is especially useful for finding news articles.

On the Internet

The New York Times
US news provider covering breaking news and current headlines from the US and around the world.
NPR (National Public Radio)
Breaking national and world news covering business, politics, health, science, technology, music, arts and culture.
USA Today
US news provider covering breaking news and current headlines from the US and around the world.
The Wall Street Journal
US news provider covering breaking news and current headlines from the US and around the world, with a focus on business and finance.
The Washington Post
US news provider covering breaking news and current headlines from the US and around the world, with a focus on political reporting.
BBC
British and world news and current events from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The Guardian
British newspaper providing world news, commentary, and analysis.
Asia Times
News website covering politics, economics, business, and culture from an Asian perspective.
Al Jazeera
News and analysis from the Middle East & worldwide.
Sunday Times
Leading South African newspaper covering world news, politics, entertainment, and lifestyle.
Associated Press News
In-depth coverage on current events, with international, political and cultural stories and more.
Reuters
The world’s largest international provider of business, financial, national, and international news.

Note: Although complete objectivity and lack of bias is difficult to achieve, the above news providers are recognized as generally reputable sources.

Beware any non-mainstream news sites that intentionally provide misleading information not based on facts.

Ask yourself - does the article headline seem like it's trying to get site clicks, likes, or comments? Does the headline describe the article's content or is it gimmicky, vague, or uninformative? Does the writing seem overly emotional, satirical, or even comedic? Can you confirm the accuracy of the information with additional searches? Are other news sources reporting the same information?

Scholarly articles and detailed information about crises, problems, and social issues

Library databases

EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) This link opens in a new window
EBSCO Discovery Service searches multiple NCC Library databases, as well as our Library Catalog. Quickly discover the best articles and books on your research topic!
ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
One of the essential databases to your NCC research experience! Search for your topic here to find articles from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers and other reference sources. Many articles are full text.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Full-text scholarly articles from journals and books covering the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.
SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Use this source to find scholarly articles on sociology topics, including criminal justice, ethnic and racial studies, marriage and family, and many others.

On the Internet

Directory of Open Access Journals
An online collection of academic journals available to the public.
Google Scholar
An online collection of academic journals available to the public.