Along with primary sources, your speeches will also, if not at times exclusively, rely on secondary sources as found in books, newspapers, periodicals, blogs and news sites, government publications, and reference works such as encyclopedias, almanacs, biographical reference works, books of quotations, poetry collections, and atlases (see below).

Books

Books explore topics in depth. A book by a credible author provides detail and perspective and can serve as an excellent source of supporting examples, stories, facts, and statistics. To locate print and electronic books (“e-books”) at your college library or other libraries, refer to the library’s online catalog. To search the titles of all books currently in print in the United States, refer to Books in Print at www.booksinprint.com. Worldcat.org searches library collections in the United States and worldwide. Alternatively, log on to an online bookseller such as Amazon.com and key in your topic.

Newspapers and Periodicals

Newspapers contain a mix of eyewitness accounts, in-depth analyses of local and world events, and human-interest feature stories of all kinds. Three comprehensive databases for searching newspaper articles include www.50states.com (to search U.S. newspapers by state), www.world-newspapers.com (to search world newspapers), and www.newspaperarchive.com (to research historical newspapers from 1753 to the present).

Indexes to individual local and national newspapers such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal are also available online. News reported on television and radio may be accessed on sites such as www.npr.org, www.cnn.com, and www.bbc.com.

A periodical is a regularly published magazine or journal. Periodicals can be excellent sources because they generally include all types of supporting material. Periodicals include peer-reviewed journals, general-interest magazines such as Time and Newsweek (the latter now published online only), as well as thousands of specialized business and technical publications. Many general-interest magazines are available in InfoTrac Online and General OneFile; to locate both general periodicals and scholarly journals, see Academic Search Premier and Academic Search Elite. LexisNexis Academic provides access to a myriad of news, business, legal, and medical publications and related information sources.

Many periodical databases are devoted to individual disciplines (see “Access Subject Guides”). For business-related topics, consider using ABI/INFORM, LexisNexis Academic, and Business Source Complete. If you plan to talk about a health or medical topic, examine Health & Wellness Resource Center or PubMed. See Table 9.2 for a small sample of the many specialized databases available in college libraries.

Blogs and Social News Sites

Blogs and social news sites can be an important source of information of unfolding events and new trends and ideas, if the source is reputable. A blog is a site containing journal-type entries maintained by individuals or groups. Newest entries appear first. A social news site allows users to submit news stories, articles, and videos to share with other users of the site. The most popular items win more visibility.

Use these sources of supporting material with extreme care, referencing only those that are affiliated with reputable (local, regional, or national) news agencies and media outlets, or by well-known bloggers with serious reputations. With countless blogs out there, blog-specific search engines can help you find what you need. Technorati lets you search all of its blogs for posts on your topic or only those blogs devoted entirely to the topic. Technorati also ranks the most influential blogs on a variety of topics. Google Blog Search also searches by post and by blog; main results always link to most recent posts.

Government Information

Nearly all the information contained in government documents comes from highly credible primary sources, so it’s well worth the effort to consult them. The Government Printing Office (GPO) is responsible for publishing and distributing all information collected and produced by federal agencies, from the U.S. Census Bureau to the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency. Numerous federal search engines provide access to these publications, including the Government Printing Office website (www.gpo.gov). Another place to get started is www.usa.gov, the official portal to all government information and services. To locate reliable statistics related to your topic, go to FedStats, American FactFinder (factfinder2.census.gov), or www.data.gov. Most libraries post useful guides on searching government documents. You may also wish to access www.gobiernousa.gov, which offers resources in Spanish. Translations in many other languages are also available.

Reference Works

Reference works include, but are not limited to, encyclopedias, almanacs, biographical reference works, books of quotations, poetry collections, and atlases.

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias summarize knowledge that is found in original form elsewhere. Their usefulness lies in providing an overview of subjects and highlighting important terms, people, and concepts to build a search upon. General encyclopedias attempt to cover all important subject areas of knowledge. The most comprehensive of the general encyclopedias is the Encyclopaedia Britannica. For a more in-depth exploration of one subject area, such as religion, science, art, sports, or engineering, consult a specialized encyclopedia devoted to it. To discover encyclopedias in your subject area, go to your library home page and key in encyclopedias: [your subject].

Online, Wikipedia is the world’s largest experimental free encyclopedia, written collaboratively and often anonymously by anyone who wishes to contribute to it. Though Wikipedia’s instant accessibility and vast range make it tantalizingly easy to consult, be warned that information may or may not be accurate at any given moment, as people edit material at will. As with any encyclopedia, Wikipedia may provide an initial overview of a topic but should only serve as a starting point for further research.² In addition, references cited in a Wikipedia article can serve as research leads—as long as you follow the links and evaluate the information for trustworthiness (see “From Source to Speech: Evaluating Web Sources”). Be sure to compare the information in the article to credible sources not supplied in the entry itself, and do not offer Wikipedia—or any encyclopedia entry—as a source to audience members.

Almanacs

Almanacs and fact books, published annually, contain interesting facts and statistics on many subjects, from notable Supreme Court decisions to vital statistics for all nations of the world. One of the most comprehensive sources is the World Almanac and Book of Facts. Other helpful almanacs include the Information Please Almanac, People’s Almanac, and Guinness World Records. As with encyclopedias, you can find specialized almanacs on a wide range of topics.

Biographical Resources

For information about famous or noteworthy people, living and deceased, the Biography and Genealogy Master Index is an excellent starting point. For analyses and criticism of the published works of individuals you may be speaking about, see Current Biography or Dictionary of American Biography. Countless specialized biographies feature everything from African American Investors to Famous Hispanics in the World and in History (access is free at www.coloquio.com/famosos/).

Books of Quotations

Public speakers often use quotations in the introductions and conclusions of speeches, liberally weaving them into examples, narratives, and (of course) testimony. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations contains passages, phrases, and proverbs traced to their sources. Many collections are targeted specifically at public speakers; others are devoted to specific topics.

Poetry Collections

Speakers frequently quote lines of poetry, both to introduce and conclude speeches and even to illustrate points in the speech body. The Columbia Granger’s World of Poetry indexes poems by author, title, and first line and is available in print and online. The Library of Congress Poetry Resources Web Guide offers links to poetry resources. Poets.org is the website of the Academy of American Poets.

Atlases

An atlas is a collection of maps, text, and accompanying charts and tables. As well as helping you to find a particular locale and learn about its terrain and demographics, many atlases use maps to explore other subjects, such as art history and human anatomy. For straightforward geographic atlases, consult National Geographic Atlas of the World and the Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Guide. Online, go to the National Geographic website. To learn about what atlases offer beyond geography, conduct a search of atlases related to your topic (e.g., art and atlas).