GOV 1320: Topics in International Politics

W. Baller

Background Information and Facts

Off Campus?

Connect to library resources via Proxy

While gathering general information and facts...

Make a list of keywords and add to this list as you find more
Follow up on relevant authors, researchers, experts
Gather statistical information to build scope and impact of problem
Someone else's shoes: be the CEO of Smith and Wesson, A surgeon in an inner city hospital, a journalist, Charlton Heston.
Evaluating Web Resources Checklist (PDF)

Beyond reading your class texts try...

For the fun of it: Cartoon
The free web: search engines and other free web sites such as Wikipedia - Global Warming entry
Verify facts: Grolier Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Americana or Britannica Encyclopedia.

Reference Books: Print & Online

Oxford Reference Online - check your Wikipedia facts
Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy: Studies of the Principal Movements and Ideas Reference E183.7 E52 2002
Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations Reference JF37 P6
International Relations: a Political Dictionary. Reference JX1226 .P55 1995
Political Handbook of the World. Reference JF37 P6

Find Articles about Your Topic

Start here, but also look at our Databases by Subject listing for Social Sciences and Policy. All databases listed are WPI subscriptions. But check out Google Scholar, a web search of scholarly sources.

Within library database searches, look for FullTextFinder link for retrieval options.

Gale PowerSearch: Articles on all topics, click more search options, limit to peer-reviewed for scholarly articles. With your topic, try also keywords such as:
- Laws or regulations or legislation or constitutional
- Policy or policies
- Political aspects
EBSCOhost Business Source: Provides full text for 3,000+ scholarly journals, including full text for more than 1000 peer-reviewed publications on a broad range of topics beyond business. Includes titles such as:

JSTOR: Complete full text of important scholarly journals in a variety of academic fields. Coverage: Varies by publication but many back to late 1800s. Current issues are not available.

World Politics 1948 - 1995 (JSTOR) or 1995 - Present (Project Muse). Check Journals List to track down more current issues of JSTOR titles.

LEXIS®-NEXIS® Academic: Current full text news, legal, medical, and business information. News coverage ranges from regional coverage (Worcester T & G; Boston Globe; New York Times) to national. Searching pro/con:
- Try to find editorials, op-ed, opinions, or commentary articles by searching for these terms, in Guided News Search, Choose GENERAL NEWS > MAJOR PAPERS > and these keywords editorial or op-ed or opinion or oped or commentary
- For public opinion polls - go to Reference > Polls & Surveys
- For legal perspective, search Legal News or Law Reviews
- For statistical data & tables - search Statistical section
PAIS International: Contains references to articles on public affairs and government issues from journals, books, government documents and statistical directories

Filter and Follow Up...

Scan results: use subject headings/descriptors, keywords, phrases found to expand search
Scrutinize article titles, number of pages, and journal title
Browse promising abstract and conclusion sections of long studies
Bibliographies can clue you in on the value of the article as well
Find an interesting author? Search for more articles or for his/her web site
Notice an agency, association or expert mentioned in an article? Follow up!

Only Finding a Citation? Getting the Full Text

Is the journal online or here in the library? Search our Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list
Visit another library: Search WorldCat to find one
Request delivery from another library: Interlibrary Loan.

Give Credit! Cite Your Sources

Create a RefWorks account and personal citation database, if you wish to make creating references easier.

Example of a cited work from a library subscription service in MLA style:: Wisner, Robert. "China's Status as Corn Export Market; Warrants Debate." Feedstuffs 76.40 (2004): 1-4.; Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale. Gordon Library; Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA. 30 Aug. 2005; <http://www.galegroup.com>.

What journal or magazine is this article from? Is it available in full text? Or just an abstract? If only an abstract is found, find the full text, using the library's Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list.

Questions?

Stop by the reference desk or set up a research consultation.

Additional Web Sites

Historic Supreme Court Decisions - by Topic
Public Agenda
Public Advocacy Groups
Thomas: Legislative Information on the Net U.S. Government site at Library of Congress, search for full text of legistation such as the Patriot Act.
GPO Access: U.S. Government Printing Office disseminates official information from all three branches of the Federal Government.

Questions?

Stop by the reference desk or set up a research consultation.

Maintained by lib-webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: Feb 15, 2008, 10:28 EST