Hot/Current Topics

Developed by Connie Fly, Librarian

This page can be useful in helping you pick a topic to research as well as finding current information on subjects that are in the news or considered controversial.

California Issues

• California Infrastructure
• Electronic Voting
• High Speed Rail in California
• Same Sex Marriage in California
• Farm Labor Issues

Health Issues

• MEDLINEPlus:  Bird Flu - Links to the latest information on Avian Flu.  Includes news, general overviews, graphics, and statistics on Avian Flu cases. Also provides contacts for organizations, adoption information, and links to MEDLINE searches for research articles on Avian Flu or related issues. From the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
• CDC West Nile Virus - This fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes basic information on the West Nile virus, including prevention (specifically, avoiding mosquito bites), current statistics, incidence of disease in and transmission by animals, how to report dead birds, and how to contact state and local health agencies. Includes links to related sites, such as one on the West Nile virus transmission cycle.
• CDC: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome  - This site provides information on SARS, an atypical form of pneumonia which apparently originated in Asia and has spread rapidly. The site covers guidance for clinicians, health departments, and airline and airport workers as well as a FAQ, travel advisories, and information on infection control, specimen collection and shipping, respiratory protections, exposure management, and quarantine. Includes links to related resources. From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
• Hot Topics in Food Safety - Covers a multitude of subjects such as irradiation, food borne illness, pesticides, chemicals and food additives.
• Cell Phone Facts:  Consumer Information on Wireless Phones  - A joint operation between the Federal Communications Commission and the Food and Drug Administration, Cell Phone Facts is a thorough overview of wireless telephone technology and the associated health effects related to its use. There is a long list of common questions and answers sorted into various topics, such as safety standards, research results of radiofrequency energy, and interference with medical equipment. (New)

Environmental Issues

• Suggested Research Topics from SIRS  (New)
• Agriculture, USDA Dept. Economic Research Service Briefing Room  - Covers a wide variety of topics about all aspects of agriculture such as crops, farm labor, food safety and security, diet and health, trade, etc. 
• Best Information on the Net: Hot Paper Topics - chosen by librarians at O'Keefe Library, St. Ambrose University. This web site attempts to present accurate, objective information on controversial issues--statistics, full texts of laws and court decisions, articles, scholarly research, and equally reputable information.
• CRS Reports from CNIE - The Congressional Research Service (CRS), part of the Library of Congress, prepares its reports for the U.S. Congress. CRS products undergo review for accuracy and objectivity and contain non-technical information that can be very useful to people interested in environmental policy.
• Conservation Issues - Links to current conservation issues from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Government Documents in the News - Documents in the News identifies issues about government making news headlines and web sources with additional information

• Justice Learning - Justice Learning is an innovative, issue-based approach for engaging students in informed political discourse. The web site uses audio from the Justice Talking radio show and articles from The New York Times to teach students about reasoned debate and the often-conflicting values inherent in our democracy. The web site includes articles, editorials and oral debate from the nation's finest journalists and advocates.  Some of the topics covered are:  affirmative action, civil liberties in war, death penalty, the drug war, energy & environment, gun control, juvenile justice, and religion in schools.
• Popular Topics on the Environment and the natural world from Naerctica
• Public Agenda Issues Online - These guides offer a nonpartisan briefing on policy and polling --including "red flags" where poll results may be misleading; a digest of news, legislation, and studies; research sources -- and much more.
• Sweatshop Watch - Sweatshop Watch is a coalition of labor, community, civil rights, immigrant rights, women's, religious & student organizations, and individuals committed to eliminating sweatshop conditions in the global garment industry.
• US State Department - Gives summaries of and links to hot issues and topics concerning U.S. foreign policy and the U.S. foreign affairs agencies.
• Yahoo! Society and Culture: Issues and Causes

For Questions and Comments, please mail to: connief@cos.edu