Library Guides: HDFS 129: Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies (Mercuri): Searching for reliable information

Picking a topic

Choosing a topic that you find interesting in human development. It can be from the list of possible topics listed in your assignment or your very own interest. Here are some of the topics from your assignment:

Alzheimer's disease
bullying
child abuse
depression in adolescence
eating disorders
gender stereotyping
obesity
substance abuse
teen pregnancy

What are your next steps? While you could search Google or ask your favorite AI platform about these topics, you could also search the libraries' databases for verifiable information about your topic, or, one of the many federal data centers for data on your topic (see below).

Useful databases to search

Gale Virtual Reference Library
Covers a variety of topics. Often, the articles or essays from these resources include statistics and tabular data useful for both infographic design and talking points for a speech.
Academic Search Complete
Includes articles from scholarly journals on many different topics in HDFS.
Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center
Provides research and background information on social issues. The database contains the essays from the Opposing Viewpoints series, supplemented by statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.
CQ Researcher
A collection of reports covering political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Finding data on your topic

There are many data resources at Penn State and from government agencies and non-profit organizations that can help you explain your topic regardless of which assignment you choose. While the PSU Libraries do have a subject guide for finding numbers and data, I have also included a list of federal government agencies that regularly publish reports and make data available on many HDFS topics for your assignment: