SS 1301: U. S. Government

B Term - W. Baller

Background Information and Facts

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...

The free web: search engines and other free web sites such as Wikipedia
Grolier Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Americana.

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.

Gale PowerSearch: Articles on all topics, click more search options, limit to peer-reviewed for scholarly articles.
EBSCOhost Business Source Premier: Provides full text for nearly 3,300 scholarly business 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.
LEXIS®-NEXIS® Academic: Current full text news, legal, medical, and business information. News coverage ranges from regional coverage (Worcester T & G; Boston Globe) to national. Searching pro/con:
- Try to find editorials, op-ed, opinions, or commentary articles by searching for these terms:
  editorial! or op-ed or opinion! or commentary
- For public opinion polls - go to Reference > Polls & Surveys
- For legal perspective, search Legal News or Law Reviews
PAIS International: Contains references to articles on public affair 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!

Search one of the above databases for an article on your topic. Jot down the reference here, in MLA style.
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________

Example of a work from a library subscription service:: 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.

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

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: A service of the U.S. Government Printing Office that provides free electronic access to over 1,000 databases of Federal Government information in over 70 applications.

Is Your Topic to Broad?

Move from a broad topic media bias to a working hypothesis. After browsing research tools, databases, the web, you should be able to zone in on a narrowly focused question that with your research, you attempt to take a position and answer. An example of a more narrow topic: 1st and 2nd City: Examining the New York Times vs. Chicago Tribune for Media Bias or Do Political Cartoons on the Patriot Act Indicate Liberal Media Bias or even something on Media Bias and the NRA: Founded or Unfounded?

Questions?

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

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Last modified: Feb 15, 2008, 10:13 EST

George C. Gordon Library - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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