Contemporary Issues

The following sites contain information on contemporary issues. Sometimes both sides are presented and sometimes only one side is emphasized.

http://publicagenda.org

A non-partisan and non-profit organization, Public Agenda analyzes public opinion about policies and issues. Founded in 1975 and based in New York City, its purpose is to educate leaders and citizens.

http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Issues_and_Causes

If you have difficulty deciding on a contemporary issue, Yahoo!: Issues is another place to look. It contains a list of over 75 issue catagories with links to Internet sources. 

Why is it important to critically evaluate information found on the Internet? Mainly because anyone can publish information on the Internet. The Internet does not have reviewers or editors; there is no quality control. There is no guarantee that the information you find is accurate. Many pages are not updated.

Here are two excellent sites that offer detailed guidance in evaluating Internet sources:

> Evaluating Web Pages: Questions to Consider: Categories (from Cornell University)

> Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask (from University of California – Berkeley)