Subject Specialist:
Law, Political Science
International Affairs
814-863-1347
e-mail: hms2@psu.edu
Helen Sheehy
Title: Head Social Sciences Library
Subject Specialist:
Law, Political Science
International Affairs
814-863-1347
e-mail: hms2@psu.edu
Almanacs provide a quick year-by-year survey of a topic as it has been discussed and debated in Congress. The titles below can be used to quickly gain an overview of how a topic has been discussed and treated in Congress.
Almanac of American Politics [National Journal website] — use this title to explore information about members of congress and their districts.
Congressional Quarterly Almanac — a yearly survey of the work of congress including bills passed.
Congress and the Nation — a 4-year cumulative look at the work of congress (by administration)
Start with these volumes in the CQ Press Electronic Library.
Weekly News Magazines
Think of these two magazines as the Time or Newsweek of government. They give a excellent overview of what is going on in both the executive and congressional branches of government. Print versions are available in the libraries.
CQ Weekly — focuses primarily on Congress
National Journal — includes more coverage of the executive branch.
General News Sources
Both of these resources have broad coverage of national and international newspapers. Access World News has better coverage of local and regional papers including the Centre Daily Times.
LionSearch — a simple interface for cross-searching many of the Libraries' databases
Academic Search Complete — an excellent all-purpose database for finding scholarly journal articles across a wide range of disciplines
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts — a database focused solely on research in political science
Index to Legal Periodicals — an index to journal articles in law reviews
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports — from specialists at the Library of Congress, these reports have in-depth analysis of policy issues before congress.
Policy File — papers from interest groups and think tanks across the political spectrum.
To explore the presidency and executive branch start with some of the volumes in the CQ Electronic Library.
Pay particular attention to:
Guide to the Presidency — explains presidential powers and how the president interacts with congress.
The Federal Regulatory Directory — explains how regulations are developed and what the major agencies are.
Vital Statistics on the Presidency — data comparing administrations over time.
TimesReference From CQ — includes a volume on the presidency which looks at the office through articles from the New York Times.
Use these resources in the CQ Press Electronic Library to learn about congress.
Politics in America — biographiess of congress people, descriptions of districts, etc.
CQ Guide to Congress — an encyclopedia about how congress works
Congress A-Z — a dictionary of facts about congress
Congressional (Proquest) — use this source to find copies of debate on the floor of congress, transcripts from hearings, reports of commiittees, etc.
CQ Congress Collection — use this resource to analyze the work of congress. Look at voting patterns of congress people and delegations.
Again, the CQ Press Electronic Library has many use resources on the courts as well.
Guide to the Supreme Court — a comprehensive encyclopedia of the Supreme Court
Supreme Court A-Z — great for quick look-up information
Supreme Court Yearbook — summaries of cases since 1989
CQ Press Supreme Court Collection — shorter summaries of all Supreme Court Cases with links to the full opinions
TimesReference From CQ — includes a volume on the Supreme Court that looks at major cases through articles from the New York Times
Journal Articles and more scholarly information on can be found in the Index to Legal Periodicals
Legal research is a highly specialized area of research though not at all difficult once you understand the principles. Consult the Libraries' Law -- A Guide to Research, or ask for assistance at the Social Sciences Reference Desk on 2nd floor Paterno Library.
National Survey of State Laws — a comparative survey of major state laws. Note that date is 2008 and you will need to update info.
LexisNexis State Capital. — a comprehensive database for searching information on state legislative activities
