GUIDE TO RESEARCHING

 

POLITICAL SCIENCE

 

 

printable research guide

Politics&Govt.pdf

 

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eREFERENCE SHELF

Find definitions, facts, short biographies and more in these online collections:

 

• Credo Reference
• Oxford Reference Online
• Virtual Reference Library

 

 

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BOOKS

 

     IN BEGLEY LIBRARY:

• Use the library catalog to find books and media in Begley Library.

 

Click on the following subject headings for a list of books on that topic.

     A librarian can help you locate materials on specific topics.

 

• China (or other nation) politics and government
• Elections United States
• New York politics and government
• Presidents United States
• United States Congress
• United States politics and government
• United States Supreme Court

 

 

     BROWSING THE SHELVES:

     J: General legislative and executive papers  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline

     JA: Political science (general)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JC: Political theory  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline 
     JF: Political institutions and public administration  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JJ: Political institutions and public administration (North America)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline 
     JK: Political institutions and public administration (United States)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JL: Political institutions and public administration (Canada, Latin America, etc.)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JN: Political institutions and public administration (Europe)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JQ: Political institutions and public administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.)  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JS: Local government; Municipal government  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JV: Colonies and colonization; Emigration and immigration; International migration  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JX: (Obsolete) International law, see JZ and KZ  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline
     JZ: International relations  - library 2nd floor -  Click here for classification outline

     IN OTHER LIBRARIES:

     Find more books in the following collections:

• Net Library - eBook collection.  What is an eBook?
• Project Gutenberg - eBook collection. What is an eBook?
• SUNYConnect - library catalog for all SUNY schools.  Use ILLiad to borrow books.
• World Cat - books and media from all over the world.  Use ILLiad to borrow books.
• Google Book Search - books and media from all over the world.  Use ILLiad to borrow books.

 

 

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DATABASES

What is a database?

 

• Academic Search Premier 

• GPO - U.S. Government Documents - Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; and documents issued by executive departments 

• Lexis Nexis Academic - News, business, legal, medical, and reference 

• Military & Government Collection - Current news about all branches of the military and government. Magazines, academic journals and more.

 

• ALL LIBRARY DATABASES

 

     NEWSPAPER DATABASES: 

• Custom Newspapers - 300 national & international newspapers 

• National Newspaper Index - New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post. 

• New York Newspapers - Albany Times Union, Syracuse Post-Standard, Buffalo News, Oneonta Daily Star, New York Times, New York Post and other New York State newspapers 

• New York Times - Full-text archive, 1851-2003 

• Newspaper Source - National, international and select regional newspapers.  Television and radio news transcripts

 

 

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JOURNALS

• Browse journals in our online collections

 

 

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WEB SITES

 

    SCHENECTADY COUNTY GOVERNMENT  

• Schenectady County
• Schenectady County Legislature

 

      NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT  

• The Checklist of Official Publications of the State of New York
• Contact Information for New York State Agencies
• Division of the Budget
• New York State
• New York State Assembly
• New York State Bill Search - search for NY state bills by keyword or bill number
• New York State Government Information Locator Service
• New York State Governor's Office
• New York State Laws
• New York State Legislature
• New York State Library
• New York State Senate
• New York State Statistical Yearbook
• New York State Tax Forms
• State of the State Addresses

 

• Who Is My NY State Assembly Representative?- search by zip code
• Who Is My NY State Senator?- search by zip code, interactive map or senate district number

 

 

    FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 

 

     BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

• Executive Branch: The White House

• Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court
• Legislative Branch: The House of Representatives and The Senate 
  • Official Congressial Directory
  • Write Your Representative - identify your Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Senators of the 110th Congress - sort by name, state or party

 

      EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

• Agriculture
  

• Commerce
  

• Census Bureau
  

• Defense
  

• Education
  

• Energy
  

• Health & Human Services  (see also Food and Drug Administration)
  

• Homeland Security
  

• Housing & Urban Development
  

• The Interior
  

• Justice
  

• Labor
  

• State
  

• Transportation
  

• The Treasury  (see also Internal Revenue Service)
  

• Veterans Affairs
  

 

 

     NON-PARTISAN GROUPS

• FactCheck.org - this site monitors the accuracy of politicians' speeches, interviews, debates and press releases
  

• First Amendment Center - the rights and freedoms of the First Amendment, and their influence in U.S. society
  

• OpenSecrets.org - guide to money's influence in U.S. elections and public policy
  

   

   

     GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

• 9-11 Commission Report
  

• Budget of the United States
  

• Code of Federal Regulations
  

• Economic Report of the President
  

• Federal Register - official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, executive orders and Presidential documents
  

• Fedstats - statistics from over 100 federal agencies
  

• U.S. Government Manual - official handbook of the Federal government
  

 

 

     GOVERNMENT SEARCH ENGINES & SUBJECT DIRECTORIES

• Google U.S. Government Search
  

• GPO Access
  

• THOMAS - search for legislative information from the Library of Congress
  

• USA.gov - government information by topic
  

 

 

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NEED HELP?

A Librarian will be happy to assist you with your research.  Visit or call the Reference Desk during regular library hours, or use Ask Us 24/7 for online help.

 

 

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Created by Carrie Buff, August 2008