Opposing Viewpoints is a database that focuses on controversial topics and current affairs. It gives you access to pro/con essays, topic overviews, primary documents, and full-text magazine, journal, & news articles.

Current Montgomery College students, faculty, & staff can access databases from on or off-campus. To access Opposing Viewpoints:

• Start at the Montgomery College Library home page: www.montgomerycollege.edu/library

• Click on Databases by Subject. Scroll down the screen to the Current Issues category and click on Opposing Viewpoints.

• Off-campus or using a laptop on-campus: When you click on the link to the database, you will be asked to log in. Enter your Montgomery College ID ("M number," including the M) in the box. Problems logging in? Try the tips in our Troubleshooting Checklist.

There are several different ways to find articles in Opposing Viewpoints.

• If you are not sure of your topic yet, select one of the broad topics listed on the Basic Search screen (e.g., global warming, minimum wage, etc.).

• If you have a more specific topic, enter your keywords into the basic search box. Select Keyword below the search box before you search.:
  
  

• Use the Advanced Search to create a more focused search or to find a specific article. Click on Advanced at the top of the Opposing Viewpoints screen, then enter your keywords in the search boxes.

Results are grouped by the type of information source and listed under separate tabs:

• Click on a tab to see documents.
  • Viewpoints: Essays or book chapters that discuss opposing points of view on the topic. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.
  • Reference: Includes introductory material that gives the background on the topic. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.
  • Magazines, Academic Journals, & News: Articles on the topic from different periodical sources. Results will be arranged in chronological order with the most recent articles listed first.
  • Primary Sources: Original documents (usually not articles or books) that provide direct information on a topic. Can be government documents (e.g., laws), personal journals or letters, etc. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.
  • Statistics: Data from public opinion polls, research studies, etc. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.
  • Multimedia: Photographs, transcripts from radio and television programs, audio files, etc. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.
  • Websites: Links to organizations and research institutes. Results will be arranged by relevance to the topic.

• Some tabs will not have any results; you will not be able to click on them.

• All articles in Opposing Viewpoints are full-text. To see the full document, click on the title in the results list.

You can print or email any document in Opposing Viewpoints. Look for the print & email icons at the top of the article's full-text screen:

• When you click Print, the document will be reformatted in a new window. Click File > Print from your web browser's menu.

• When you click E-mail, a new window will open. Enter an email address in the Mail to box. All other areas of this form are optional. Click Send.