~Points of View Debate Blog Creates Opportunities for Discussion and Debate about Topics in the News ~

IPSWICH, Mass. — January 18, 2012 — The creators of Points of View Reference Center™ (POV) from EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) have released the Points of View Debate Blog — a forum for students to discuss topics in the news and debate them with their peers. The blog is a free companion service for schools subscribing to EBSCO’s Points of View Reference Center.

Students can access Points of View Debate Blog directly from their library’s Points of View Reference Center database, gaining the ability to both research topics and voice opinions about them. Additionally, a corresponding Twitter account, @PointsofView_EP, will direct users to the blog website (http://ebscohost.com/pov-blog) and provide an avenue for discussion.

A $200 prize will be awarded monthly to the student submitting the most thought-provoking and well-crafted comment to that month’s blog topic. Product Manager for Points of View Reference Center, Kathleen Luz, says the blog is designed to provide a forum for wider debate and the award is designed to provide incentive and recognition. “We want students to generate the conversation using their research and debating skills. With the blog, they can make use of the valuable resources in Points of View Reference Center and really respond to topics that are being presented.”

Points of View Reference Center offers users information about compelling news topics each month, and explores the basics of debate. Points of View Debate Blog takes the next step and invites users to join the discussion and share their views, building on knowledge gained from using the reference center.

A monthly e-newsletter also accompanies the blog. It will highlight the winner of the best student commentary, and preview the next month’s Points of View Debate Blog topic. It will also keep subscribers up to date on announcements about the service.

Points of View Reference Center helps students research their opinions and develop persuasive arguments across subject areas, for their own debates and research papers. Using a unique format, it presents a searchable collection of the most important social, political and cultural moments of the era. Offering topical overviews, multiple viewpoints, and guides to critical analysis, Points of View Reference Center offers users a balanced perspective on current issues.

About EBSCO Publishing
EBSCO Publishing is the producer of EBSCOhost®, the world’s premier for-fee online research service, including full-text databases, subject indexes, point-of-care medical reference, historical digital archives, and eBooks. The company provides more than 350 databases and nearly 300,000 eBooks. Through a library of tens of thousands of full-text journals and magazines from renowned publishers, EBSCO serves the content needs of all researchers (Academic, Medical, K-12, Public Library, Corporate, Government, etc.). EBSCO is also the provider of EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS), which provides each institution with a fast, single search box for its entire collection, offering deeper indexing and more full-text searching of journals and magazines than any other discovery service (www.ebscohost.com/discovery). For more information, visit the EBSCO Publishing Web site at: www.ebscohost.com, or contact: information@ebscohost.com. EBSCO Publishing is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., one of the largest privately held companies in the United States.

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For more information, please contact:
Kathleen McEvoy
Public Relations Director
(800) 653-2726 ext. 2594
kmcevoy@ebscohost.com