LibGuides: PUBPOL 301: Strategies

Article Databases

US Law and Politics

Congress.gov
Search for current and past legislation.

National Journal
Weekly journal covering national policy and politics.

CQ Congress Collection This link opens in a new window
Search the following content:
- Floor Votes: Exportable roll call votes included from 1969 to the present
- Member Profiles: Comprehensive biographies for every member of Congress from 1945 to the present
- Data Analysis: Tools to analyze voting alignment, interest group ratings, voting scores, and more
- How Congress Works: Encyclopedic information on the history, operations, and procedures of Congress
- Entries from Congress and the Nation, as well as other CQ Press Reference series titles
ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Search across historic and current congressional information. Includes full text of congressional publications, finding aids, a bill tracking service, public laws and other research materials from the US government

International Coverage, Including US

Political Science Complete This link opens in a new window
Search for journal articles in political science and public policy
PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
Search articles, government documents, and grey literature related to international politics and public policy
CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online This link opens in a new window
Search for scholarship on theory and research in international affairs; includes NGO publications
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Search for news, business, legal, medical, and congressional information. Note: formerly named Lexis Nexis Academic.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Search a collection of important scholarly journals representing a range of disciplines.

Research Log

Library Research Log
Save time & frustration by recording your search strategies.

From the Start: record and refine your search strategies by keeping a research log (ex. below); saving your search histories in databases; and/or taking screen shots of your searches.

Remember to cite sources as you go.

Strategies for your memos

Finding & Evaluating Sources

Start with an overview of your issue by searching for news and scholarly analysis with the databases listed throughout this guide. To explore other databases:

Click on the Databases tab from the Libraries homepage. Enter database name or use the Browse by Subject function. Tips:

Click on “more details” to learn more about the database
You will be led to the catalog entry for a database. Do not use the search box on that page; click to get to the specific database's interface.
When you find citations in the database, use the get it @ Duke button to find electronic full-text

Understand how the US government works--see the US Govt. tab for some refresher sources, esp. the Legislative Process guide

Google smart:

Add site:.gov to restrict your Google search to US government sites.

Use Google Search Tips: Notice how similar the advanced strategies are to those used in databases!

Use the Think Tanks search engine on the interest groups page of this guide.

For books and more:

Use the Duke Libraries catalog to search for print and reference sources

Tips

Click Advanced Search to search by format, library, etc.
e-books are activated faster in the e-books list than in the catalog--click the link under the catalog search box.

Dig deeper see my Public Policy subject guide (linked from my profile here), and the Related Guides tab in it.