Database of the Month: CQ Researcher

Are you writing a paper with a point of view about a current topic? Well, CQ Researcher is a great place to start. Published by Sage, CQ Researcher is a trade magazine written by journalists with the purpose to inform the general public and government officials about current topics of interest. Each single-themed report is researched and written by a seasoned journalist, footnoted and professionally fact checked.

There are two types of content in CQ Researcher: Full Reports & Short Reports (Hot Topics):

1. Full Report example: Ladika, S. (2022, May 13). Branding. CQ researcher, 32, 1-31. http://library.cqpress.com/
2. Short Report (Hot Topics) example: Day, K. (2022, September 29). Inflation. CQ researcher. http://library.cqpress.com/

Each Full Report is based on a common structure.

• Overview - introduces the subject under consideration and poses one or more questions such as, "Branding: Can companies reposition themselves by changing their image?" or "Inflation: Can it be tamed by federal policymakers"?
• Background - Provides a history of the topic, including pertinent policy and legal decisions.
• Current Situation - provides a snapshot of the issue at the time of publication. 
• Outlook - offers a projection of what the future may bring. 
• Pro/Con - brings together statements from representatives of opposing positions on the topic. 
• Chronology - contains a list of key events in the issue's history, and graphics and data also help illuminate the topic.
• Each Full Report also provides an extensive bibliography as well as information about the author's credentials.

The Short Reports (Hot Topics) provide up to date reporting on the 20 most popular current topics in the database.

Even though this publication provides high quality reports that undergo rigorous editing by at least two veteran editors, CQ Researcher is not a peer reviewed source; however, CQ Researcher does provide a great starting point for your research. We also encourage you to consult our Pro/Con Guide for help finding/obtaining additional peer-reviewed/academic sources to continue your topic exploration.

How do I stay current on CQ Researcher reports? You can visit this database weekly to view the latest reports (44 issues a year) or you can follow them on Twitter @cqresearcher to keep up with the latest content.

Connect to the Database
Visit our Databases A-Z page and click CQ Researcher from the listing. This database is available on and off campus with your Bentley credentials.

Database of the Month provides a brief introduction to useful library databases and highlights key features. Please contact us if you would like more information about this database or other library resources. If you would like a librarian to come to your class to demonstrate our resources, please use the Instruction Request Form to schedule a visit.