This page will help you research controversial issues by providing tips for approaching and researching a topic that have multiple perspectives effectively.
Social determinates of health such as income, education, access and quality of healthcare, and the environment disproportionately affect poor people. Health Professionals can advocate for national, provincial, and local policies that improve health outcomes such as full-time schools of allied health, housing, etc.
Recommended reading: Daly, K., & Pauly, B. (2022). Nurse Navigation to Address Health Equity: Teaching Nursing Students to Take Action on Social Determinants of Health. Nurse Educator, 47(1), E5–E6. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001084
More resources on Health Equity here.
Sample of Print Books for Writing About Controversial Issues
Critical Thinking: your guide to effective argument, successful analysis & independent study
Critical Thinking and Communication: the use of reason in argument
Introduction to Mass Communication: media literacy and culture
Media Literacy: keys to interpreting media messages
Do I Make Myself Clear?: why writing well matters
The Debatabase Book: a must-have guide for successful debateCanadian Points of View -- A database with in-depth analysis of social issues. Includes essays, journal articles, images, and more.
Pro/Con Websites
ProCon.org -- this nonprofit, nonpartisan website provides "professionally-researched pro, con, and related information on more than 50 controversial issues from gun control and death penalty to illegal immigration and alternative energy"
Debatabase: A World of Great Debates -- Developed by the International Debate Education Association, it provides both sides of the debate on a variety of areas including politics, economics, religion, culture, science and society.
When researching controversial topics you will find that there is a lot of misinformation, rumors, and misleading information on the internet. The websites on this page can help you fact check your information and information sources.
Remember to Ask Yourself:
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This page was adapted from the San Diego Mesa College Library: https://sdmesa.libguides.com/controversial_issues