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Political Science

   

See also related guides History | U.S. Government Publications |

   

Sections of this guide:
Encyclopedias   |  Reference Works  |   Databases and Indexes | Online Full Text Journals
Other Important Resources   |  Subject Headings   |  Call Numbers
Organizations & Societies   |  Web Resources  |   Election Information

 

   

Encyclopedias

Provide excellent background/overview information. An excellent place to begin research. Contain articles written by experts for a general audience. Provide indexes indicating scope of coverage of a topic and pinpointing articles in which a concept will be discussed. Provide bibliographies for further reading.
book Blackwell Encyclopædia of Political Institutions
JA61 .B56 1987
book Blackwell Encyclopædia of Political Thought
JA61 .B57 1987
book Encyclopedia of Nationalism, 2 vols. 
JC311 .E499 2001
book Encyclopedia of Democracy, 4 vols.
JC423 .E53 1995
book

Encyclopedia of Political Revolutions
JC491 .E63 1998

book Encyclopedia of Human Rights
JC571 .E67 1996
book Encyclopedia of the American Legislative System, 3 vols.
JF501 .E53 1994
book World Encyclopedia of Parliaments and Legislatures, 2 vols.
JF511 .W67 1998
book Encyclopedia of Governmental Advisory Organizations
JK468 .C7 E5 2000
book United States Intelligence: an encyclopedia
JK468 .I6 U57 1990
book Encyclopedia of the American Presidency, 4 vols.
JK511 .E53 1994
book Encyclopedia of the United States Congress, 4 vols.
JK1067 .E63 1995
book Open Secrets: the encyclopedia of Congressional money and politics
JK1991 .M26 1996
book Political parties and elections in the United States: an encyclopedia, 2 vols.
JK2261 .P633 1991
book Encyclopedia of the Republican Party, 2 vols.
JK2352 .E56 1997
book Encyclopedia of the Democratic Party, 2 vols.
JK2352 .E56 1997
book Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy, 3 vols.
JX1407 .E53
book Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements
JX1977 .O8213 1985
book World Encyclopedia of Peace, 4 vols.
JX1944 .W67 1986
book Encyclopedia of the American Constitution, 4 vols. and supplement
KF4548 .E53 1986
book Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues, 1789-1995
KF4557 .V555 1996

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Reference Books

Handbooks, dictionaries, statistical sources, tables; detailed or procedural information specific to the subject areas addressed.
book Public Administration Dictionary
JA61 .C47 1988
book Dictionary of World Politics
JA61 .E85 1990
book

Dictionary of Modern Politics
JA61 .R63 1993

book Survey of Social Science. Government and Politics Series, 5 vols.
JA61 .S88 1995
book Dictionary of Geopolitics
JC319 .D495 1994
book CQ Guide to Current American Government
JK1 .C14
book Congressional Quarterly's American Congressional Dictionary
JK9 .K73 1993
book Oxford guide to the United States government
JK9 .P384 2001
book Congressional Quarterly's desk reference on American Government
JK274 .W449 1995
book Congressional Quarterly's guide to the presidency, 2 vols
JK516 .C57 1996
book Presidential elections, 1789-1996
JK524 .P6783 1997
book Congressional Quarterly's guide to Congress, 4th ed.
JK1021 .C565 1991
book CQ's Politics in America
JK1012 .C63
book Biographical Dictionary of Congressional Women
JK1012 .F57 1999
book State legislative elections, voting patterns and demographics
JK1967 .B36 1998
book Congressional Quarterly's guide to U.S. elections
JK1967 .C662 1994
book National party conventions, 1831-1996
JK2255 .N377 1997
book State legislative sourcebook
JK2495 .S689
book Canadian parliamentary handbook
JL131 .C37 1995
book Europa World Year Book, 2 vols.
JN1 .E85
book Commonwealth Yearbook
JN248 .C5912
book Urban politics dictionary
JS48 .S65 1990
book Municipal year book
JS344 .C5 A24
book Governments of the Northwest
JS440 .G65
book International relations: a political dictionary
JX1226 .P55 1995
book Yearbook of international organizations, 2 vols
JX1904 .A42
book Europa directory of international organizations
JZ4838 .E97
book Dictionary of Human Rights
K3239.3 .R67 1997

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Databases and Indexes

Magazine, periodical and journal articles provide information on current developments, research trends, experiments and hot topics in a discipline. For every discipline, there are specific databases or indexes that provide article level information. Once articles are identified through the database or index search, look up the source journal in Vikat, PSU Library's online catalog, to locate them in the library. For a complete list of online databases and indexes, see the Library's Online Databases pages.
psu-only access via the web Academic Search Premier
psu-only access via the web Access UN
psu-only access via the web Article First
book

psu-only access via the web
America: History and Life


America: History and Life
psu-only access via the web Bibliography of Asian Studies
psu-only access via the web Congressional Universe
psu-only access via the web Contents First
book

cd rom
CSA political science & government
Z7161 .A214 (continues ABC pol. sci.)

CSA political science & government (cd-rom)
psu-only access via the web CQ Library
psu-only access via the web Dissertation Abstracts International
book

psu-only access via the web
Historical Abstracts


Historical Abstracts
psu-only access via the web Index to Current Urban Documents
psu-only access via the web PAIS
psu-only access via the web Political Science Abstracts
book

psu-only access via the web
Social Sciences Index


Social Science Index
book Social Science Citation Index
psu-only access via the web Statistical Universe
psu-only access via the web Ingenta
psu-only access via the web World Almanac
psu-only access via the web WorldCat

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Online Full Text Journals

Many, but by no means ALL, of the journals of interest in Political Science are available online. Below is a selected list of Political Science full text journals to which PSU has access. Most of the journals require authentication for off campus use.

 

psu-only access via the web American Journal of International Law 1907-2003
psu-only access via the web
American Journal of Political Science 1973-2002
psu-only access via the web Midwest Journal of Political Science 1957-1972
psu-only access via the web
American Political Science Review 1906-2000
psu-only access via the web
International Organization 1947-1998
psu-only access via the web
Journal of Politics 1939-2000
psu-only access via the web
Political Science Quarterly 1886-1999
psu-only access via the web
Proceedings of the American Political Science Association 1904-1913
psu-only access via the web
Public Opinion Quarterly 1937-1999
psu-only access via the web
World Politics 1948-2003

 

   

Important Resources

These sources don't fit into any particular category, but are important for the discipline.

 

book Statesman's yearbook
JA51 .S7
book CQ Weekly Report
JK1 .C15
book Congressional Quarterly almanac
JK1 .C66
book Almanac of American politics
JK8 .A45
book United States Government manual
JK421 .A3
book Directory of Congressional voting scores and interest group ratings, 2 vols
JK1051 .S555 1997
book Public interest profiles
JK1118 .P79
book Congressional Quarterly's Federal PAC's directory
JK1991 .C663
book Code of the City of Portland, 2 vols
JS1318 .A3 1984
book Chronology and Fact Book of the United Nations, 1941-1991
JX1977 .A1 C48

 

   

Subject Headings

Subject headings allow you to search library catalogs for materials on a particular topic. Often subject heading searching can be more productive than searching by simple keywords. Listed here are some major subject headings of interest for research in Political Science. Copies of the complete set of the Library of Congress Subject Headings are available at the reference desks throughout the library. 
 
United States--Politics and government
Socialism
Communism
Utopias
Anarchism
Political Science
Nationalism

Imperialism

Monarchy
Democracy
Fascism
Liberty
Constitutional Law
Constitutional History
Great Britain. Parliament
Federal Government
State governments
Legislative bodies
Citizenship
Political Rights
Representative government and representation
Voting
Political Parties
United States. Congress
United States. Congress. House
United States. Congress. Senate
Presidents--United States
Separation of Powers
United States. Supreme Court.
Municipal government
Local government
Emigration and immigration
International law
International relations
United States--Foreign Relations--Japan
Japan--Foreign Relations--United States
Treaties
Arbitration, International
International agencies
Peace
Peace movements
United Nations
International courts
Comparative government

 

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Call Numbers

Browsing the library shelves by call number ranges is another strategy for locating information on a topic; call numbers can help you get to the "right neighborhood" in the library stacks.
HX Socialism, Communism, Utopias, Anarchism
J General legislative and executive papers
JA Poltical Science, collections and general works
JC Political theory, Theory of the state
JF Constitutional history and administration
JK United States
JK 2403-9501 United States, State government
JK 9661-9993 Confederate States of America
JL British America, Latin America
JN Europe
JQ Asia, Afirca, Australia, Oceania

JS Local government

JV Colonies and colonization, Emigration and immigration
JX Internatinal law, International relations
JZ International relations

 

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Organizations

Often the best way to find information on a topic is to look for material published by a professional society or an organization.
www source American Political Science Association
www source International Political Science Association
www source Canadian Political Science Association
www source Western Political Science Association
www source Political Methodology Society
www source International Studies Association
www source Peace Science Society International
www source Peace Studies
www source International Political Economy
www source APSA's State Politics and Policy Section Web Site
www source APSA's Policy Section
www source European Consortium for Political Research
www source Pacific Northwest Political Science Association

 

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Web Resources

www source Online Resource Guide to Political Inquiry (York University)
www source Political Science: A Net Station (Univ. of British Columbia Library)
www source [Political Science] Resources
(Merriam Laboratory for Analytic Political Research, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign)
www source Political Science Resources on the Web (University of Michigan Documents Center)
www source Internet Resources for Political Science and Public Administration Students (Auburn University, Montgomery)
www source Political Science Resources (University of Keele, U.K.)
www source Academic Info Political Science Page
www source The Ultimate Political Science Links
www source Country Studies (Library of Congress)
www source Social, Economic and Political Change
www source History and Politics: Out Loud

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2004 Election Information

www source 2004 Election Information Portland State University

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Charles Hixson
Please send comments to:
Rose Jackson

 

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