WRS -- CQ Researcher

CQ Researcher is a unique resource in that it presents material in a very different way from most databases. CQ Researcher profiles a single "issue" every week. While many of these issues are political in nature, quite a few are relevant to the sciences, including Global Warming, Stem Cell Research, Fishing Rights, Environmental Policy, Evolution vs. Creationism, and others.

For each issue profiled, CQ Researcher provides a historical overview of the topic, essays defending all sides of the issue written by experts in the field, an explanation of the current status of the issue in the US and worldwide, and links to related topics. Most profiles include useful information such as a chronology of events relating to the issue, maps (where appropriate), and statistical data in the form of charts or graphs.

But by far the most useful aspect of CQ Researcher is the footnotes and bibliography sections. For each issue profiled, a glance at the footnotes and bibliography attached will provide the researcher with plethora of sources from which to begin investigating the issue more deeply. CQ Researcher is particularly ideal as a starting point for lower-level students writing term papers.