Opposing Viewpoints is a Gale database with resources on contemporary social issues. Each topic has its own page which include all the resources on the chosen issue, including essays on opposing viewpoints, news, statistics, videos, photos, maps, and peer-reviewed scholarly resources. The viewpoints used include questions for users to keep in mind when reading as well as a bio on the viewpoint author and citations for further research. Each issue page is formatted in the same way making it easy for teens to navigate. Users can also use the advanced search options to search by content type and limit results to peer-reviewed articles. This would be an excellent resource for debate assignments or persuasive essays that require knowledge of controversial topic in contemporary society. Also included are national and state curriculum standards and links to additional Gale resources for teachers, including lesson plans. Highly recommended. ( )

Opposing Viewpoints in Context is a database that is free to Michigan residents which allows users to search for hot topic issues and see articles of differing viewpoints. It is easy to search for these issues and even easier to browse through the issues. Each page has a description of the topic as well. There are some interface issues with this database such as the fact that the title does not take you back to the homepage. Yet it is still important for upper elementary students and middle schoolers who are learning about comparing and contrasting arguments. I would recommend this database for ages 10-13. ( )