POSC 2305 (Dr. Commissiong): American National Government
This guide should help you understand the process involved in researching a topic and evaluating sources and should acquaint you with the Cornette Library's books, journals and online sources. The list is not comprehensive so you may need to use this as a starting point and pursue other sources as well. If you have questions, stop by the Reference, Periodicals/Special Collections, or Government Documents Desks for assistance or call the Reference Desk at 651-2215. For additional help, contact Mary Jarvis (x2212) or Steve Ely (x2231) and make an appointment.
What is Research?
- Research is investigation and examination.
- We do research every day: ask the time, look for an e-mail address, decide which vehicle to buy.
- Getting started can cause anxiety, but that feeling is temporary.
- Requires time and flexibility as you learn throughout the process.
- Often an experimental, trial-and-error process. Information from one step may require redoing an earlier step.
- Research becomes easier with practice.
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Steps in the process
- Receive a research assignment: A paper or presentation is assigned, or a personal decision is required.
- Examples:
- Write a paper that's due in one month.
- OR, Present a speech in class one week from today.
- Select a topic: May be assigned in broad terms, or may be a personal interest.
- Examples
- Write about violence in the media.
- OR, Speak about what happened the day you were born.
- Explore the facets of topic/narrow the focus: Ask basic background questions or specific parts of the overall topic. Often requires basic information collection and evaluation.
- Examples
- Collect information on television, movies, video games, anime cartoons, rap music, etc.
- OR, Collect information on world events, state festivals, local politics, celebrity births and deaths, family occurrences, etc.
- State a question: This is your thesis, the question that you will answer, and it defines the limits of your problem.
- Examples
- Does the image of women in rap music lead to more date rape?
- OR, What was the headline article in the New York Times on April 1, 1984, and where can I find other information about that event?
- Decide on the types of sources: Different kinds of questions will require different types of information sources.
- Examples
- General databases such as Academic Search Complete contain current research from hundreds of scholarly and general publications on causes of violence and correlations with movies watched or music preferences.
- OR, National newspapers and news magazines covered current events, and parents or grandparents may be interviewed.
- Collect and evaluate information: Gather data to answer your specific question or thesis. This is often thought of as "research". Too much or too little available information may mean the question has to be restated.
- Examples
- Academic Search Complete contains current research from hundreds of scholarly and general publications on causes of violence and correlations with movies watched or music preferences.
- OR, Print copies of the front page of the New York Times for April 1, 1984, and the cover stories for that week from Time, Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report.
- Is the question answered? You may need additional information, or you may need to restate the question, if not enough information is available.
- Examples
- One source is available, but there are 5 other sources that discuss rap music and violence against women. Restate the question as Does the image of women in rap music cause more violence against women?
- OR, You have five articles discussing the events of your birthday. Start practicing your speech.
- Make the decision/write the report/prepare the presentation.
- Examples
- Your paper on rap music is turned in and you get an A.
- OR, Your speech wins applause from your classmates.
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Source Evaluation
All of these characteristics should be considered in evaluating any information source, whether it is a book; a magazine, newspaper or journal article; a government document; a web page; or an individual. Experience makes this process easier.
Authority
Goal: find information from knowledgeable sources.
- Who wrote the item?
Examples: Book or article author/s, Government agency, corporation. - What are their qualifications?
Examples: Education, work or personal experience, organization mission. - What else has this person or organization written about the subject?
Examples: other books/articles, extent of web site, - Is the person or organization reputable?
Examples: How often is the author cited? Who else links to the web site?
Specificity/Relevance
Goal: find sources that specifically address your individual question.
- Does the item relate to your specific question, or is it misfocused?
Example: an article about racism in South Africa would not be relevant to a research question like Does racism still exist in the 21st century United States? - Does the item address all or a part of your topic?
Partial coverage from one source requires coverage from other sources.
Example: an article about racism in current college admissions MIGHT be helpful for a paper on racism in 21st century America. - May require scanning an entire article, as titles aren't always informative. Use abstracts where available.
Audience
Goal: find information for the audience to be addressed.
- What age group is the item aimed at?
Example: Ranger Rick might be excellent for a teacher preparing elementary school activities, but not your freshman biology class. - Is the item intended for a general or a specialized audience?
Examples: a speech to your fraternity would require different sources than a 30 page formal research paper. - Is the item intended for scholars or the general public?
Example: National Geographic and Journal of Geophysics have very different audiences.
Accuracy
Goal: find accurate, reliable information.
A difficult judgment to make for a new subject. Part of the process will involve comparing one information source on the topic to others.
- Are sources provided so that you can verify the information?
Examples: footnotes, reference lists, links. - How reliable are the sources?
See the authority discussion above. - Is the journal peer-reviewed?
Examples: Not all scholarly sources are checked by other experts.
Currency
Goal: find information current enough to answer your research question.
Old sources can be fine for an historical question, but not for current events.
- What is the publication or creation date?
Example: books may be reprinted. Journals have publication dates. More authoritative web pages will have a clear "updated" date. - Does the internal data reflect the same date as the creation date?
Example: a web page that states Clinton is the current president, but has a 2005 "updated" date isn't truly current.
Objectivity
Goal: find sources to address all sides of an issue. May require multiple sources representing differing viewpoints.
- Does the writer have a strong opinion on the issue?
Examples: NARAL Pro Choice America has a very different view of abortion than National Right to Life. - Is that point of view obvious? Careful reading may be required.
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What's a Journal?
Distinction between scholarly journals and magazines is important because:
- your instructor may specify "use only scholarly" sources,
- various citation styles treat journals and magazines differently,
- material in a journal is automatically considered more authoritative than a magazine, and peer-reviewed journals are considered the most authoritative.
The following criteria are guidelines. Some publications won't match the criteria exactly. If a publication fits MOST of the criteria, that would probably be the correct categorization.
Check with your instructor if you are not sure of the classification of a particular source.
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Reference Sources
Reference books are one of the best places to start your research. Finding background information on a topic can help you prepare to search the Library's online catalog and other resources. The Reference Collection houses basic information sources like dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, chronologies, and research guides. A selection of Reference books which you may find useful are listed below. Be sure to check Cornette Library's online catalog or ask a Reference Librarian to find more.
- Historical Guide to the United States Government
- JK9.H57 Ref.
- Articles in included here generally explain the nature and history of U.S. government agencies, departments, offices, services, branches, and, occasionally, the concepts they deal with. The articles are signed and often include short bibliographies.
- United States Government Manual - 2008-2009
- JK 421 .A3 2008-2009 Ref.
- Brief descriptions of departments and agencies of the United States federal government. Current edition available at Reference Desk and also available online.
- Dictionary of American History
- E174 .D52 2003 Ref.
- More an encyclopedia than a dictionary, this work of ten volumes is an excellent source of information on the events, concepts, trends, places, and people that characterize American history. Articles vary in length from a paragraph to several pages but consistently include author bibliographies and signatures, and one volume is devoted to archival maps and primary sources.
- Dictionary of Government and Politics
- JA 61 .D53 1998 Ref.
- "Basic vocabulary used in the fields of government and politics, both in Britain and in the United States."
- Encyclopedia of the American Constitution
- KF 4548.E53 2000 Ref.
- This six-volume work features many illuminating articles on the people, concepts, and legislation affecting and affected by the United State Constitution. Articles are signed and generally include short bibliographies. Also included is the text of several relevant primary source documents.
- Encyclopedia of the United States Congress
- JK1067.E63 1995 Ref.
- This four-volume work offers many detailed articles about the people, legislation, and issues dealt with by the U.S. Congress throughout its history. Articles are signed by the authors, whose affiliation is identified in the first volume; most articles also include a short bibliography.
- Almanac of American Politics 2006
- JK 8 .A4 2006 Ref.
- State-by-state and district-by-district analysis of elections and descriptions of each district as of 2002.
- Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009
- HA 202 .A2 2009 Ref.
- Statistics of many sorts - best described by the subtitle "The National Data Book." Current edition available at Reference Desk and also available online.
- Encyclopedia of American Political History
- E183 .E5 1984
- This three-volume work offers many articles, of several pages each, on the institutions, movements, and ideas that have characterized American political history.
- Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy (1 vol. item)
- E183.7 .H28 2004 Ref.
- This recent one-volume work published by Facts On File is filled with articles offering a good overview of the issues, people, organizations, countries, and concepts that have affected or characterized the foreign affairs of the United States.
- Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy (3 vol. item)
- E183.7 .E52 2002 Ref.
- Published in three volumes by Scribner, this has longer articles, often on broader topics, though with good detail included in each. Each article is signed and has a substantial bibliography. The first volume begins with a chronology of American foreign policy between 1607 and 2001.
- The Rowman & Littlefield Guide to Writing with Sources
- PE 1478.D37 2007 Ref.
- Discusses clearly and helpfully questions such as when you need to acknowledge a source, when you should paraphrase and when you should quote, how you should paraphrase, how you should quote, how you should punctuate quotations, and how you should select and cite electronic and internet sources. Available next to the Reference Desk.
- Student Guide to Research in the Digital Age: How to Locate and Evaluate Sources
- ZA 3075.S74 2006 Ref.
- Discusses overall research process, how to find different kinds of information, and how to use that information.
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Books
- Cornette Library's Online Catalog
- Includes books, government documents, videos, journal titles, etc. available throughout the Library. Suggested searches include:
- a keyword search for your subject, such as political philosophy.
- the general LC subject heading political science.
- the LC subject heading for a specific time and place such as united states politics and government.
To determine the most appropriate subject headings for your search, refer to the red Library of Congress Subject Headings near the Reference computers in the Library or search the online Library of Congress Authorities Catalog.
- WorldCat
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- Online catalog for libraries around the world.
- Lists Cornette Library books along with many more in other libraries.
- Search by keyword, author, title, or subject.
- Excellent source for locating items not in Cornette Library's collection.
- Request books not in Cornette Library through the pre-filled Interlibrary loan form. Allow at least two weeks for the books to arrive.
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Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles
Provide current information
- Library shelves contain more than 1500 bound and current journals.
- Microform (film or fiche) available for dozens of leading newspapers, as well as other periodicals.
- Databases index articles found in journals and magazines.
- Citation only;
- Citation and a short summary of the article (abstract);
- Full text;
- General, covering many kinds of topics, and specialized, for specific disciplines.
- For this assignment be sure to use scholarly sources, not general interest magazines. The differences are important, for citation and for evaluating reliability.
How to Access Databases
- On-campus: In the library or HELC.
- Off-campus: Login with your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).
- Database citations not in full-text may be located in Cornette Library's online catalog, or the list of online journals.
- Use Interlibrary Loan to request articles inaccessible through Cornette library. Allow up to 1 week (3 weeks for books) for articles to arrive.
Which database?
- Academic Search Complete
- Contains abstracts and citations for a broad range of topics, with substantial full-text. Includes scholarly full-text articles from over 5,100 sources, with an additional 1,000 full-text sources. Indexes more than 10,000 periodicals.
- America: History And Life
- Citation database covering the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Indexes 1,700 journals, to make this the most comprehensive index available for U.S. and Canadian history.
- Find more at our Political Science Subject Guide.
Logo
- Displays in most of our databases. Links from a citation to one or more of the following:
- One or more links to full-text of the cited article,
- A link to a pre-set search of the Cornette Library catalog for the cited item,
- A link to a pre-filled Interlibrary Loan request form for the article, or
- A link to various help options.
- For more information see the tutorial Using SFX to Link to Articles
Need Help?
- Ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or Periodicals Desk (second floor).
- Call 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open.
- Use the "Ask A Librarian" page for electronic reference support.
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Newspapers
Provide current news, and contemporaneous views of historical events. The listed items are in microfilm on the second floor.
- Christian Science Monitor (Nov. 1908-present); index: 1950-present
- Daily Universal Register (1785-1787, became the Times - London)
- Dallas Morning News (Oct. 1885-present)
- New York Times (Sep. 18, 1851-present) Index: Sep. 1851-present
- Times - London (Jan. 1788-present) Index: 1790-present
- Wall Street Journal (Jul. 1889-present) Index: 1955-present
Several databases contain current newspapers in electronic form.
- Infotrac Newsstand
- Most current 1 to 3 years of more than 150 local, regional, national and international newspapers.
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Government Documents
Cornette Library collects United States federal and Texas state documents on many topics.
- Most U.S. documents published since 1994 are listed in the Cornette Library's Online Catalog.
- For older documents, you will need to use the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications.
- We also have British Parliamentary Papers from 1731-1978/79 in microform.
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
- Indexes all United States government documents made available through the Government Printing Office.
- Includes Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; documents issued by executive departments (Defense, State, Labor, Office of the President, etc.).
- Dates available include:
- Documents/Reference (1913-present).
- Online via FirstSearch. (1976-present)
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Web Sites
- The World Wide Web is an excellent source of information.
- Not everything found on the Web is accurate.
- You must evaluate information on the Web.
- United States House of Representatives
- United States Senate
- Thomas -- Congressional legislation information and more. From the Library of Congress.
- The White House
- The Supreme Court of the United States
Web Guides
- Searchable lists of annotated web sites, discussion lists, and electronic journals that have met specific selection criteria.
- Scout Report Archives
- Scholarly. Keyword or advanced search. Results listed by relevance.
- INFOMINE Scholarly Internet Resource Collections
- Scholarly. Keyword search or browse by general subject area. Can limit to free sites.
- Librarians' Index to the Internet
- General public interest. Keyword search, or browse by general topic and subtopic.
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Citing Your Sources
Why must I cite the sources I use for research projects?
- To give credit to the author of the information you use.
- To avoid plagiarism (WTAMU Code of Student Life: Academic Integrity Code). Plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in a failing grade or worse!
- So that others can verify the information.
- To assist others in doing their own research.
For More Information
- The Rowman & Littlefield Guide to Writing with Sources
- PE 1478.D37 2007 Ref.
- Discusses clearly and helpfully questions such as when you need to acknowledge a source, when you should paraphrase and when you should quote, how you should paraphrase, how you should quote, how you should punctuate quotations, and how you should select and cite electronic and internet sources.
Style Manuals
- Dr. Commissiong requires you to correctly cite your sources using a consistent and recognized style. These include The Chicago Manual of Style, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
- Copies of these manuals are located at the Reference Desk.
- Additional assistance is available from our Citation Basics web page and from our more detailed page of recommended web sites for citing sources.
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Your Comments
- Suggestions for improvements?
- Particularly helpful items?
- Please email Linda Chenoweth.
Thank you.
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