Useful Things: Pros and Cons

It's getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that it is an election year. I see more lawn signs on my walk to the metro each day. The one thing I ask is that campaign commercials are kept to a minimum... but I digress.

This election is contentious (aren't they all) and it can help to have an unbiased (or known biased) view of the issues. That is where ProCon.org comes in handy. The website presents all sides of the issues, leaving it up to you to decide where your opinion and viewpoints lie. ProCon.org is a non-profit, non-government affiliated source. You can read more about who they are and their methods in their extensive About Us and Theoretical Expertise sections.

The website is quite large and complex, but there are several important features. The front page is the main dashboard for controversial issues (including, medical marijuana, illegal immigration, climate change, and milk.) Under any given topic, you can read an overview, the core issue, a list of the top 10 pros and cons, and additional "Did You Know" facts. Outside of the content itself, ProCon.org shows you have to both use and cite the website. Finally, a Teacher's Corner shows educators how to best you the website and its content.

ProCon.org also lets users get involved by signing up for e-mails and letting them suggest topics.

I suggest picking a topic and clicking around from there. ProCon.org is as addictive as Wikipedia.

*Hat tip to The Centered Librarian