Welcome to the Voting Pathfinder! Whether you are a high school student beginning research on the history of voting or a young adult simply wanting to learn more about "the issues", this pathfinder will help guide you on your quest for information. The resources included here have been selected with you in mind--you'll find a variety of viewpoints are presented, historical informaton is provided, and you'll also find pathways to current news so that you can witness history in the making. Best of all, each of these resources were chosen because they will provide you with additional resources that you can explore for more "in depth" study. Here's how the pathfinder works:
- Each page is devoted to a different type of resource. Within each page, there are categories of voting subjects to make it easier for you to browse through the available resources.
- Within each page, look for search boxes where you can perfect your own search techniques, or start looking for additional resources outside of this pathfinder. This was created with you in mind, so I wanted to make sure you would have all the tools you would need to really get going on your research. You may be surprised to find search boxes for Google Scholar, youtube, a dictionary, and WorldCat here, but don't forget that these are just TOOLS to help you find the electronic resources you need--just like this pathfinder!
- The Databases page will guide you on how to perform simple searches to find information using keywords. I'll be giving you sample keywords within each voting subject in order to help you if you decide to go further with your research--these can be found in the right-hand column of each page.
- The Further Exploration page will help spark your creative energy by giving you some sample research topics and ideas for projects. This is also where you can find links to learn how to cite your sources, evaluate the information you find, and much more!
It's hard to step two feet without hearing something about the 2008 election and I realize it can be hard to have your own viewpoint when you keep getting different information! Before very long, most of you will be able to express yourselves by casting your own vote--you need to be able to understand why that is so important for our country, and you also need to know the issues and candidates so that you can make your choice be heard. This pathfinder answers those needs by giving you a variety of research options.