Policy Analysis

Course Number:

PLS 505

Instructor:

Imperial, Mark

Starting Points

Encyclopedia of public administration and public policy

CQ Researcher

Each issue provides an in-depth coverage of a public policy topic.

Points of View Reference Center

Access viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles related to controversial topics.

Articles & eResources

These databases will lead you to articles on the issues and processes of policy analysis. If the database does not provide the full-text of the article, be sure to check the journal title in the online catalog to see if and how the library provides the article. It may be in a different database or in paper copy. The library provides access to approximately 40,000 journals, but if we don't have the article you need, it can be obtained through interlibrary loan.

Note: The Article & eResource search box on the Library home page searches several general databases simultaneously. For more focused and specialized searches in public policy, also try these databases.

Google Scholar

Provides a simple broad-based search engine for articles, books, theses, court opinions. From on-campus, links to full-text subscription databases should take you to full-text. Use the library catalog to check for books or journals not provided in full-text, since we may still have them. Interlibrary loan can obtain what we don't have.

Academic Search Complete

The main interdisciplinary database from EbscoHost, providing indexing for 8,500 journals and magazines and full-text access for 4,600 of them.

JSTOR

JSTOR is included in the databases searched from the library home page, but you may wish to focus the search using JSTOR's advanced search to limit to the 76 law journals, 30 management and organizational behavior journals, 146 political science journals or 37 public policy and administration journals offered.

Sage Journals Online

This package of full-text e-journals includes 12 public administration titles and 21 urban studies & planning journals.

LexisNexis Academic

News, legal and business resources. News sources include newspapers, magazines, wire services, broadcast transcripts and news-oriented blogs. US Legal provides law review articles and federal and state cases and statutes.

Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS)

Provides citations to journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports, publications of international agencies, microfiche, Internet material, and more. Publications back to 1972. For older publications (back to 1925) use the PAIS Archive.

Business Source Complete

This EbscoHost database includes full-text for 8,800 serials back to 1965 covering management, economics and finance issues of interest to MPA students.

Social Services Abstracts

Indexing and abstracting for 1300 serials in the areas of social work, human services and related areas, including social policy, social welfare and community development. 1979-present.

Military & Government Collection

This EbscoHost database provides full-text for 300 journals and indexing for over 400 journals relating to government and armed services issues. International in scope.

HeinOnline

A rich resource for legal and legislative research. Includes full-text for 1200 law journals, US Congressional documents, including the Congressional Record and its predecessors, Code of Federal Regulations, US Code, etc.

LexisNexis Congressional

Search Congressional publications, e.g., hearings, House and Senate documents and reports, Congressional Research Service Reports, and Congressional Record. Where full-text is not available, use the bibliographic information to locate in the library or through interlibrary loan. Ask for assistance -- it's complicated!

Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management

This multidisciplinary database, provides unparalleled and comprehensive coverage of the environmental sciences. Abstracts and citations are drawn from over 6000 serials including scientific journals, conference proceedings, reports, monographs, books and government publications Publication dates: 1967-present.

Environment Complete

A username and password is required to access the content of this database. Inquire at the Learning Commons Desk or contact Sue Cody, liaison librarian for Public and International Affairs.

Web of Science

This database includes the Social Science Citation Index. Using the Cited Reference feature you can track recent articles that cited earlier studies. Other databases do this, but not as thoroughly as Web of Science.

Using the Library Catalog

Click here to search the Library Catalog

The library catalog and WorldCat use Library of Congress Subject Headings. The list of authorized subject headings is available online from the Library of Congress Classification/Subject Headings database. However, you can also start with keyword searches to gather some relevant titles, then look at their subject headings to discover the official terms to use.

Using these Library of Congress Subject Headings will aid your searches.

Subject Headings

Select Suggested Subject Headings

Policy, Government
Policy sciences
Public policy
[Topic] -- Government policy
[Topic] and state, e.g., Science and state
[Topic] policy, e.g., Economic policy

Websites

FactCheck

The Annenberg Public Policy Center provides this service to fact check the claims made in articles, speeches, debates, etc.

PolitiFact

A project of the St. Petersburg (FL) Times, this website grades articles, speeches, etc. on a "Truth-O-Meter."

PewResearchCenter

The Pew Research Center calls itself "a nonparisan 'fact tank' that provides informaton on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.

Public Agenda

This non-partisan website helps citizens to understand critical policy issues and helps leaders understand the public's point of view.

Center for Governmental Studies

Mission statement from the website: CGS helps civic organizations, decision-makers and the media to strengthen democracy and improve government processes by providing rigorous research, nonpartisan analysis, strategic consulting and innovative media models of public information and civic engagement.

Policy Archive

This digital library of public policy research is a joint effort of the Center for Governmental Studies and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government

Although its focus is on New York State, this site provides information on many important public policy issues, e.g., state and local finance, health care, education, employment, social services.

Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program

The International Relations Program at the University of Pennsylvania hosts this site. Here you will find an annual survery of the best think tanks (on various criteria) and a growing database of think tanks.

NIRA World Dictionary of Think Tanks

This directory, arranged by name and country, provides descriptions of think tanks and links their websites.

Government Resources

Randall Library is a partial depository of the US Depository Library System, receiving about 70% of documents issued through the system. Since 1990, each item has been added to the library catalog. For earlier documents, please ask for assistance. You can search some of the finding aids listed below to the get the SuDoc call number, but we are happy to help you determine if we have the item. Interlibrary loan can be used to request documents we do not have.

More and more documents are "born digital." We have links to electronic versions in our catalog, but you may also find them through a Google search or in WorldCat.

USA.gov

The US General Services Administration hosts this search engine for government information at the federal, state and local level.

Google U.S. Government Search

Searches U.S. federal, state and local government websites.

FDsys

This meta-site for online government publications is in beta version, but will be complete in 2010. Information from GPO Access is being migrated to this system.

GPO Access

Since 1994, GPO Access has served as a meta-site for government publications. The information on the site is being migrated to the Federal Digital System (FDsys).

WorldCat

Since so many libraries have cataloged their government documents, this union catalog of 9,000 libraries is helpful in indentifying documents and their availability.

Catalog of Government Publications (CGP)

The catalog of print and online U.S. government publications, 1976 to present.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Describes federal grant funding opportunities.

Science.gov

Compiles science-related information from 14 federal agencies.

North Carolina Official Website

New Hanover County

City of Wilmington

Bladen County Government

Brunswick County Government

Columbus County Government

Duplin County Government

Onslow County Government

Sampson County Government

Statistics

Statistical Abstract of the United States

Available in print and online, this Bureau of Census publication compiles statistics from governmental and non-governmental agencies on a wide range of topics.

American FactFinder

The US Census Bureau provides the latest data here, including the decennial cenus, economic cesnus, American Community Survey, etc.

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Statistics on crime and the administration of justice at all levels of government. Includes the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (also called Crime in the United States)

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Statistics on prices, productivity and employment.

National Center for Health Statistics (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides data on health, nutrition, mortality, diseases, injuries, disabilities, and health expenditures.

National Center for Education Statistics

Data on schools, teachers, students, finances, educational attainment, and libraries.

Agricultural Statistics

Statistics on agricultural production, consumption, prices, costs, etc.

LINC

Statistics for North Carolina, including comparison data for other states.

Datasets, Maps & Imagery

Data.gov

This new government website provides raw datasets in a variety of downloadable formats. The site also provides a growing set of tools to assist with extraction and analysis of the data.

ICPSR (Inter University Consortium for Political and Social Research)

Brought to you by the UNCW Office of Research Services and Sponsored Programs, this digital library of data sets is currently available on campus only.