Library Research Guide for POLS 346
YOUR Research TASK:
to track a public policy or program through one stage of policy-making
[agenda-setting, formulation or implementation]. You have likely chosen a program or piece of legislation passed to solve a problem.YOUR STRATEGY:
Find QUALITY sources that discuss the law or program…
Primary sources : government documents [national, state]
The law, regulations to implement the law, or hearings and reports ABOUT the law
Sponsoring legislator's communication/Web page/blog/public statements
Academic journals (scholarly, peer reviewed, professional associations)
Find Articles to locate databases by discipline
McIntyre Periodicals List lists what we have, where, during what years
Current news sources : Congressional Quarterly Weekly (Ref JK1.C15) (CQ)
warning: newsletters, some newspapers and news magazines have bias and a pre selected audience for which they write
LexisNexis Academic : news, transcripts and testimony
Internet sources :
How do you determine currency, accuracy, legitimacy, authority?
Advocacy organizations—great sources! example: http://followthemoney.org/
CITING databases and Internet sources
Government Documents Sources
McIntyre Library government publications :
Use the library online catalog; limit to US or WI documents
Use library list of Government Web sites
Federal sources:
LexisNexis Congressional (library database) HELP toolbox, bottom of home page
Library of Congress hosts the THOMAS database
GPO ACCESS Legislative, Executive and Judicial documents and links
Wisconsin
Further Help : Ask A question: www.uwec.edu/library
this page: http://www.uwec.edu/library/research/courses.htm
updated: 11/02/2006