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Research Guide for Political Science

Online Databases | Reference Materials | Journals | Web Resources | Subject Headings

This research guide to information resources in Political Science is designed to assist users in beginning their research and study in the discipline. This guide is not meant to be comprehensive, but is something of a pathfinder that will help you focus on your direction. You may find here useful subject headings, current reference resources, full-text online journals, and recommended Internet resources in the subject.

Consult the FGCU Library Online Catalog for more complete information on all Library resources on a specific topic. It is important to note that you must search the Library Online Catalog for journal titles, and particularly back issues of a title that may be available in the Library’s Periodical Collection, in print or micro-format.

If you need additional information or assistance, you may contact the Library Reference Desk: (239) 590-7630, or e-mail libref@fgcu.edu.

 

Online Databases

America: History and Life
Covers United States and Canadian prehistory to the present. Includes current affairs, area studies, ethnic studies, folklore, historiography and methodology, international relations, oral history, prehistory, government and political science, popular culture, urban affairs, teaching of history, and interdisciplinary studies of historical interest and history-related topics in the social sciences and humanities.

Berkeley Electronic Press Journal collection
Journals in the following categories: Economics, Business, and Marketing; Law; Political Science and Current Affairs; Biological Sciences; Engineering.

Contemporary Womens Issues
Full text access to global information on women. Journals, newsletters, research reports from non- profit groups, government and international agencies, along with fact sheets are easily accessed through CWI. Information on women in over 150 countries is compiled in a single collection bringing together such disciplines as sociology, psychology, health, education and human rights.

CQ Public Affairs Collection
Provides in-depth reports on vital issues, statistical and historical analyses, historic documents and primary source materials, as well as a directory of key government, non-profit, and private organizations in each of the major policy areas. Organized by 22 key public affairs subject headings, such as Advocacy and Public Service, Education, Energy, the Environment, Health, and Transportation.

CQ Researcher
Provides in-depth reports on current events and topics of current interest. Each report provides historical background on the topic, outside commentary, pro/con arguments, chronological information, and a substantial bibliography. CQ Researcher addresses a wide range of topics including legal, political, and social issues, communication and mass media, health, education, science, and technology. Coverage is from 1991 to the present

Criminal Justice Abstracts  
Contains comprehensive coverage of international journals, books, dissertations, and unpublished papers on criminology and related disciplines. Covers crime trends, crime prevention and deterrence, juvenile delinquency, juvenile justice, police, courts, punishment, and sentencing. Contains indexes and summaries of international journal articles, books, and governmental and non-governmental reports on virtually any topic in criminal justice.

EIS: Digests of Environ. Impact Statements
The federal government issues hundreds of environmental impact statements each year - and this one resource provides detailed abstracts of all of those statements, also indexing them for easy reference. EIS extracts the key issues from complex government-released environmental impact statements, converting massive documents into concise, readable abstracts. Each entry includes a clear description of the project, sections on positive impact and negative consequences, and legal mandates.

Ethnic Newswatch Complete
Full-text collection of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. A rich collection of articles, editorials, columns, reviews, etc. provide a broad diversity of perspectives and viewpoints -- the other sides of the stories. Ethnic Newswatch provides free text searching and complete indexing.

Florida Documents Index
This online database identifies publications housed in the Florida Documents Collection at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). The collection includes public documents distributed by the State Library of Florida since 1967 under the Florida Public Documents Depository Program. FAU began systematically collecting Florida documents early in 1966 and has since been able to acquire a substantial number of state documents published prior to that date, as well as documents not distributed through the depository program.

GenderWatch
A full-text collection of international journals,magazines, newsletters, regional publications, special reports and conference proceedings devoted to women's and gender issues. The database provides in-depth coverage of the subjects that are uniquely central to women's daily lives,including family, childbirth, birth control, daycare, domestic abuse, work and the workplace, sexual harassment, aging, aging parents, body image, eating disorders and social and societal roles. It also includes content on the impact of gender and gender roles on areas such as: the arts, popular culture and media, business and work, crime and criminology, education, research and scholarship, family, health care and medicine, politics, policy and legislation, pornography, religion, sexuality and sexology, sports and leisure.

InfoTrac OneFile
Includes full-text articles from over 4,900 journals. Indexes total of over 8,500 titles; 2,500+ are refereed. Covers virtually all academic disciplines. From 1980 forward; updated daily.

LexisNexis Academic
Lexis-Nexis Universe provides access to 9.5 million documents including company profiles and financial reports, government transcripts, trade journals and academic and legal databases from 18,300 sources. Files are updated with full-text documents from general interest wire services, newspapers, and magazines from around the world.

Lexis-Nexis Congressional
Congressional Universe gives researchers access to vast and varied information published by and about Congress. In addition to the indexing and abstracting of the CIS/Index to Publications of the U.S. Congress from 1970, Congressional Universe provides the tools for: searching the Congressional Record, tracking proposed legislation by keyword and sponsor, searching the Federal Register, searching congressional committee schedules, finding members of Congress, and searching the National Journal. Congressional Universe has full text of almost all Committee Reports from 1990 forward and Congressional testimony from 1988 forward.

LexisNexis Statistical
LexisNexis Statistical enables easy access to statistics produced by the U.S. government, major international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, state government agencies, and universities.

Oxford Journals Online  
Online fulltext access to journals published by the Oxford University Press. Your library may not subscribe to all journal titles offered through this site.

PAIS International
Materials on public affairs from 1972 to date. Includes articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about public affairs. Contains bibliographic citations, many of which include abstracts. Includes references to conference proceedings, economic issues, government documents, political issues, public affairs, social issues, statistical directories, etc.

 

 

Reference Materials

Bibliographies & Indexes

(1954 - 1996). International Bibliography of Political Science. Paris: UNESCO
Ref JA11.158

(1968 - 1990). Public Affairs Information Service bulletin (PAIS). New York: Public Affairs Information Service.
Ref Z7163 .P9

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Archer, J. Clarke (2002). Atlas of American Politics, 1960-2000. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
REF G1201.F1 A8 2002

Axelrod-Contrada, Joan (2003). Career Opportunities in Politics, Government, and Activism. New York: Ferguson.
REF JK692.A94 2003

Barry, John and E. Gene Frankland (2002). International Encyclopedia of Environmental Politics. London; New York: Routledge.
REF GE170.I55 2002

Beasley, Frank (1999). Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science : A User's Guide To Its Terms. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
REF JA61.B43 1999

Carter, Gregg Lee (2002). Guns in American Society : An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
REF HV7436.C8783

Collin, P.H. (1997). Dictionary of Government and Politics. Teddiington: Collin.
REF JA61.C65 1997

Gall, Timothy L. Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations. Detroit: Gale.
REF G63.W67 1998

Kravitz, Walter (2001). (3rd). Congressional Quarterly's American Congressional Dictionary. Wahsington D.C.: CQ Press.
REF JK9.K73 2001

Kreiger, Joel (2001). The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
REF JA61.E52 2001

Kritzer, Herbert M. (2002). Legal Systems of the World : A Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
REF K48.L44 2002

Kurian, George Thomas (2002). Dictionary of World Politics. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
REF D419.K87 2002

Moore, John L. , Jon P. Preimesberger, David R. Tarr (2001). (4th). Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
REF JK1967.C662

Osmanczyk, Edmund Jan (2003). (3rd). Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements. New York: Routledge.
REF KZ4968.O84 2003

Sela, Avraham (2002). The Continuum Political Encyclopedia of the Middle East. New York: Continuum 2002.
REF D419.K87 2002

Sheldon, Garrett Ward (2001). Encyclopedia of Political Thought. New York: Facts on File.
REF JA61.A525 2002

Utter,Robert. (2002). (2nd). American Political Scientists : A Dictionary. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
REF G63.W67 1998

 

Online Journals

American Journal of Political Science (ISSN 0092-5853)

American Political Science Review.

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.

Annual Review of Political Science (ISSN 1094-2030)

International Journal of Politics and Ethics (ISSN 1535-4776)

National Minority Politics (ISSN 1057-1655)

Political Science Quarterly (ISSN 0032-3195)

 

Web Resources

Florida Local Government Information System Association
http://www.flgisa.org/2002/
Information for computer decision makers from the state's local government agencies. Includes conferences, activities, and RFP database.

Elections & Voting

Division of Elections -Florida Department of State
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/online/index.shtml
Information includes voter statistics, forms and publications, related government links, "Florida Administrative Weekly" online.

Florida Association of Counties
http://www.fl-counties.com
Information on governmental relations, enterprise programs, communications & publications,education & training for commissioners.

Lee County Supervisor of Elections
http://www.leeelections.com
Information on local candidates and referendums, election forms, precinct and polling locators and FAQs.

League of Women Voters - Collier County
http://www.naples.net/presents/lwvcc
Information includes contact information, Voter Registration, Collier Candidates, Action Alerts.

League of Women Voters - Lee County
http://www.lwvlee.org
Includes links to websites for the White House, US Senate, US House of Representatives,C-SPAN, State of Florida-Bureau of Elections and election results. Links provided for: Candidates for public office in Lee County,Lee County School Board, City of Bonita Springs, City of Cape Coral, City of Fort Myers, Town of Fort Myers Beach, City of Sanibel

Organizations

The Center for Public Integrity
http://www.publicintegrity.org/dtaweb/home.asp
Investigative research and reporting on public policy issues in the United States and around the world - printed reports on corporate crime, arms trafficking, terrorism, U.S. military policy and human rights issues

League of Women Voters
http://www.lwv.org
League of Women Voter's position on issues, News articles on the issues, DemocracyNet (candidate information links accessible by zip code), links to the League's "The Voter Magazine,"(a policy Information on the League of Women Voter's position on issues.

NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
http://www.naacp.org/
NAACP programs and work in progress, press releases, membership, history time line, calendar of events, awards and local branches listed.

National Christian Coalition
http://www.cc.org
Information on Washington Weekly Review and Action Alert E-mails, Voter Education, Petitions, registration, Media Watch and Church Liaisons.

NRA (National Rifle Association)
http://www.nra.org
Information on Politics & Legislation, Programs, Events, Safety and Training, Member Benefits, Firearms and Hunting.

Southern Poverty Law Center
http://www.splcenter.org
Site includes landmark legal cases won by the Information on prominent people associated with the organization, hate maps incident reports, latest news on current issues.

Political Parties

Democratic Party
http://www.democrats.org

Green Party
http://www.gp.org

Libertarian Party
http://www.lp.org/

Republican Party
http://rnc.org

 

Public Opinion Polls

Harris Interactive (Harris Poll)
http://www.harrisinteractive.com
Information on latest Harris news articles, constructing research, global locations, Harris Poll archive.

Institution for Public Opinion Research
http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/ipor
Contains results of polls conducted in Florida about issues affecting their lives

Mason - Dixon Polling and Research, Inc
http://www.mason-dixon.com/about.cfm
Mason-Dixon is an independent polling firm that conducts voter surveys for news media, lobbyists, interest groups, trade associations and political action committees.

The Pew Research Center
http://people-press.org/
Surveys, Commentary, Datasets and News reports on public attitudes toward the press, public opinion on international policy, effects of news stories on politics and characteristics of American voting groups, news services and links.

Think Tanks

The Cato Institute
http://www.cato.org
The Cato Institute seeks to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets and peace.

The Heritage Foundation
http://www.heritage.org
The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

The Hoover Institution
http://www-hoover.stanford.edu
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, Stanford University, is a public policy research center devoted to advanced study of politics, economics, and political economy—both domestic and foreign—as well as international affairs.

Progressive Policy Institute
http://www.ppionline.org
The Progressive Policy Institute is a catalyst for political change. Its mission is to modernize progressive politics and government for the Information Age. PPI abandons the left-right debates and advocates “Third Way” thinking.

The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
http://www.trpi.org
The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) is a nonprofit policy research organization which has attained a reputation as the nation's "premier Latino think tank." TRPI specializes in survey research--ranging from questionnaire and sample frame development, to survey interviewing--which allows TRPI to gauge the attitudes held by diverse Latino populations regarding salient policy issues.

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