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Political Science - United States

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    The D.B. Weldon Library
    519-661-2111 x84818

  • The D.B. Weldon Library: Research Help
    The D.B. Weldon Library
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Databases

  • Proquest Search - Political Science and Public Administration

    Proquest Search - Political Science and Public Administration replaces Scholars Portal Search.  With Proquest Search - Political Science and Public Administration you will be able to search 30 Databases for scholarly and popular content for research on topics in American Political Science courses.

  • America: History and Life
    America: History and Life covers the history and culture of Canada and the United States, providing citations and abstracts to articles, books, and dissertations. From 1989 forward it also includes citations to reviews of films, videos, and non-print media.
  • International Political Science Abstracts
    This database provides access to political science articles that are publishd in scholarly journals and yearbooks from around the world. International relations, political thinkers and ideas; institutions; political processes; and national and area studies are covered here.
  • JSTOR (Journal STORage)

    This is a very useful multidisciplinary database that provides access to over 1000 journals including 62 for Political Science.

    Please Note: The articles in JSTOR come from the first issue of each journal up to about 3 to 5 years ago. The most recent articles for each journal will probably not be found in this database. To get the current scholarly articles make sure you search in additional databases: Scholars Portal Search database or CIAO or International Political Science Abstracts.

    To view a list of the Political Science journals covered by JSTOR click this LINK.

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Encyclopedias

  • Oxford Reference Online Premium
    This is an excellent collection of electronic reference works from one of the world's biggest reference publishers.  Oxford Reference Online Premium is the place to start your research to identify significant dates, people and events and to define important concepts. Oxford Reference Online Premium includes the following Political Science titles: A Dictionary of Political Biography, The Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics.
  • Who's Who in American Politics

    This reference book provides a biographical directory of political leaders in the United States.  The most recent edition of this print resource is available in The D.B. Weldon Reference Collection at: E176.W45. Earlier editions are available in DBW Stack Ovrsize.

  • The Encyclopedia of the United States Congress

    The Encyclopedia of the United States Congress provides background information on the processes and development of the legislative branch of the U.S. government. In simple language It describes selected persons, events, and terms associated with Congress.

  • American National Biography
    The American National Biography provides a comprehensive examination, over 18,000 biographies, of the men and women who have shaped the history of the United States.
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Government Information

  • GPO MetaLib
    "MetaLib is a federated search engine from the U.S. Government Printing Office that searches multiple U.S. Federal government databases, such as EPA, ERIC, Library of Congress, PubMed, and usa.gov, retrieving reports, articles, and citations while providing direct links to selected resources available online".
  • USA.gov
    USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal.USA.gov links to every federal agency and to state, and local governments.
    Go directly to the Advanced Search page to limit your search by federal, state or tribal governments.

  • Proquest Congressional Digital Collection

    This excellent resource offers access to information produced by or pertaining to the United States Congress from 1789 to the present. Full text for titles from 2004 to the present. Includes bills, laws, legislative histories, committee prints, House and Senate documents and reports, the Congressional Record, Code of Federal Regulations, and Federal Register. Especially useful are the full text reports of Congressional Research Service reports For a complete description of contents, coverage, and update frequency, consult the online Help section.

  • FDsys: Federal Digital System

    FDsys enables the US  Government Printing Office (GPO) to manage government publications from Congress and Federal agencies that are submitted to GPO in digital form, gathered from Federal Government Web sites, and created by scanning previously printed publications. Through FDsys, GPO is utilizing new technologies and methods for acquiring, authenticating, preserving, and providing access to government publications in digital form.

    Information in GPOAccess http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html is being migrated to FDsys.  The expected completion date for the migration is December 2010.

  • GPO Access (Government Printing Office)

    This site provides electronic access to important information produced by the American Federal Government - Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches, e.g., full text congressional and executive agency documents, Congressional bills and resolutions, congressional documents and reports.

    You can search the A-Z Resource List or use the advanced search options.

  • Library of Congress Thomas
    Launched in January 1995, Thomas offers access to Activities of Congress, Bills, Resolutions, Public Laws, House and Senate Roll Call Votes, the Congressional Record (a summary of a day's activities in both chambers of Congress) and more.  Basic and advanced search options allow you to search by Congress, by Member of Congress or Senate or by Committee.
  • Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports U.S. Department of State

    The Congressional Research Service (a division of the Library of Congress) provides research and analysis for members of Congress. Search for relevant information in the subject index or by keyword search.  You will find policy analysis, economic studies, legal analysis and statistical reviews of subjects.

  • Digital National Security Archive (DNSA)

    The Digital National Security Archive (DNSA), licensed to Western users only, is a comprehensive collection of significant primary documents related to U.S. foreign and military policy since 1945.

    DNSA consists of 29 collections, each focusing on a single topic: e.g., Cuban Missle Crisis; The Berlin Crisis, 1958-1962; The Iran-Contra Affair; Presidential Directives on National Security, Part I and II, Truman to Clinton and, Truman to George W. Bush.

  • Congressional Quarterly Almanac

    The Congressional Quarterly Almanac reports on the major activities of the U.S. Congress. You will find detailed information on political issues during each congressional session since 1945.  Roll call votes, interest group ratings, party unity and voting participations records, information on presidential support and, texts of presidential messages are covered.

    This print resource is located in the DBW Periodical Ref Collection at: JK1.C672

  • State Government Information
    From the Library of Congress, State Government Information provides links to the Web Sites of State Governments in the United States.
More Government Information

Statistics and Data

  • FedStats
    FedStats provides a window on the official statistical information available to the public from the Federal Government. Track economic and population trends, education, health care costs, aviation safety, foreign trade, energy use, farm production, and more. Access official statistics collected and published by more than 100 Federal agencies.
  • Government Statistics: Frequently Used Sites (GODORT)
    Members of the American Library Association Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) have created this resource, providing access to frequently used sites with statistics and data.
  • Statistical Abstract of the United States (Online)
    Published since 1878, Statistical Abstract of the United States provides an authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Sources of data include: the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
  • Historical statistics of the United States, colonial times to 1970
    Historical statistics of the United States, colonial times to 1970 contains annual, time-series data with national coverage on almost any aspect of United States economics, population or infrastructure since the government began recording statistics.
  • U.S. Census Bureau
    The U.S. Census Bureau site features the 2000 U.S. Census. It also offers other statistical data.
  • American Statistics Index

    The American Statistics Index provides, in print form, a comprehensive guide and index to the statistical publications of the U.S. Government.

     This resource is available in the Government Publications Collection in The D.B. Weldon Library at: HA214.A2A44

More Statistics and Data

Web Sites

  • Open CRS: Congressional Research Service

    Open CRS, provides access to the work of the Congressional Research Service.

    This resource is a project of the Center for Democracy & Technology, and provides access to CRS reports that are already in the public domain.

  • Political Information.com
    Politicalinformation.com, descibed as "a search engine for politics, policy, and political news," provides access to over 5000 web sites that can be searched by broad categories such as campaigns/elections; Federal/State Government; grassroots; parties and organizations; and research tools.
  • Congressional Budget Office (CBO). U.S. Congress
    The Congressional Budget Office site is an excellent source for budgetary information. It is the mission of the CBO to provide Congress with objective, timely, nonpartisan analyses for economic and budget decisions.
  • American National Election Studies (ANES)
    The ANES site produces high quality data on voting, public opinion, and political participation.  Also, there are useful links to other national election studies from around the world.
  • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
    The ACLU site offers timely information on civil liberties issues.
More Web Sites