Special attention should be given to the date of publication of the resources you select for your papers. The Catholic Church underwent tremendous changes in 1965 with the Second Vatican Council. As a result, materials published before 1965 represent an historic view of Catholic theology. Materials published after 1965 reflect current Catholic theology.
Contemporary Discussions on your Topic
- AmericaFounded in 1909 by the Jesuit order and directed today by Jesuits and lay colleagues, America is a forum for discussion of religion, society, politics and culture from a Catholic perspective.
- CommonwealCommonweal is edited and managed by lay Catholics and provides a forum for civil, reasoned debate on the interaction of faith with contemporary politics and culture.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new windowIn-depth coverage of current events, providing full-length articles that include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, plus resources for additional research.
News Sources
Here are a few news sources to get you started. To find others, including historical newspapers, visit the full Newspapers Guide.
- Christian Science Monitor This link opens in a new windowProquest covers 1990-1996. Gale covers 1998-present day.
- Boston Globe (1980 - present) This link opens in a new windowBrowse by issue [Content is updated daily by 8 a.m.]:
- New York Times - Academic Pass This link opens in a new windowUse the TimesMachine site to explore over 150 years of Times journalism, as it originally appeared.
- ProQuest International Newsstream This link opens in a new windowInternational Newsstream provides the most recent news content outside of the US and Canada, with archives which stretch back decades featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.
Statistics
- Pew Research CenterThe Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It does not take positions on policy issues. Click on Datasets link to find statistical reports arranged by broad research areas and to download data sets. Select Topics link to search by subject or among polling questions.
- American Religion Data ArchiveThe ARDA is based in the Department of Sociology at The Pennsylvania State University. Their goal is to preserve and provide access to high-quality data on religion in the United States and abroad.
- Center for Applied Research in the ApostolateCARA is a national, non-profit, Georgetown University affiliated research center that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church.
Evaluating Sources
Questions to consider:
- What is the source's purpose? Why was it created?
- Who is the author? Is it an individual or an organization? What are their credentials and their authority on the topic? Where are they situated in the world and what might be their possible biases?
- What is the source's relevance to your research? What part of your research question will it help you answer?
Purpose, author, and relevance help you choose sources and also present your research to your audience. If you use a source that has clear bias, you can give that context to your audience.