LibGuides: Political Science / Public Policy Resources: Reference Tools

Basic Reference Tools

Annual Review of Political Science
Comprehensive review of the literature in political science. Can help students identify major trends in the field as well as find general overviews of research in specific subject areas of politics.
Oxford Bibliographies Online : Political Science
Combining the best features of an annotated bibliography and a high-level encyclopedia, this resource guides researchers to the best available scholarship.

Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Includes over 200 reference works in the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences.
Oxford Reference Online (Premium Edition) This link opens in a new window
Contains online versions of dictionaries and encyclopedias previously published in paper by Oxford University Press.
SAGE Knowledge Encyclopedias and Handbooks This link opens in a new window
Includes SAGE Encyclopedias and Handbooks.

Recommended Reference Tools

21st Century Political Science: a Reference Handbook by John T. Ishiyama (Editor); Marijke Breuning (Editor)
ISBN: 9781412969017
Publication Date: 2010-10-22
Highlights the most important topics, issues, questions, and debates in the field of political science.
The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science by Frank Bealy (Editor)
ISBN: 0631206949
Publication Date: 1999-09-02
The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science provides students and general readers with a clear and lively introduction to the terminology of political science.
Book of the States
The Book of the States has been the reference tool of choice since 1935, providing relevant, accurate and timely information, answers and comparisons for all 56 states, commonwealths and territories of the United States.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics and International Relations by Garrett W. Brown; Iain McLean; Alistair McMillan
ISBN: 9780199670840
Publication Date: 2018-03-18
This bestselling dictionary contains over 1,700 entries on all aspects of politics and international relations. Written by a leading team of political scientists, it embraces the multi-disciplinary spectrum of political theory including political thinkers, history, institutions, theories, and schools of thought, as well as notable current affairs that have shaped attitudes to politics.

CQ Press Library This link opens in a new window
Allows users to search a variety of CQ products including CQ's Politics in America, CQ Weekly and the CQ Researcher Plus Archive simultaneously or individually.
Also named: CQ Political Reference Suite, CQ Electronic Library
CQ Voting and Elections Collection This link opens in a new window
Integrates a wealth of data, authoritative analyses, concise explanations, and historical material to provide a powerful research and reference tool on the American voter, major and minor political parties, campaigns and elections, and historical and modern races for Congress, the presidency, and governorships.

The Encyclopedia of Political Science by George Thomas Kurian (Editor); James E. Alt (Editor); Simone Chambers (Editor); Paula D. McClain (Editor); Geoffrey Garrett (Editor); Margaret Levi (Editor)
ISBN: 9781933116440
Publication Date: 2010-10-12
A core reference to the central ideas, concepts, and frameworks underlying the study of politics and highlights the intersections of politics with other disciplines.
Encyclopedia of U. S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior by Kenneth F. Warren (Editor)
ISBN: 9781412954891
Publication Date: 2008-04-04
The Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior covers virtually everything one would want to know about American political campaigns. With more than 450 entries, these two comprehensive volumes present a significant array topics of campaigns, elections, and electoral behavior.
Encyclopedia of United States National Security by Richard J. Samuels (Editor)
ISBN: 0761929274
Publication Date: 2005-12-21
With over 750 entries, the Encyclopedia of United States National Security is the first single, concise reference source to provide accurate and informative answers to the many challenging questions of how, why, when, and where national security has evolved. In addition to presenting historical facts and analyses, this two-volume encyclopedia is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to some of the more complicated and abstract questions concerning world politics and national security.
Encyclopedia of U. S. Political History by Andrew Robertson; Michael A. Morrison; William G. Shade; Robert Johnston; Robert Zieger; Thomas Langston; Richard Valelly
ISBN: 9780872893207
Publication Date: 2010-04-01
Explores the events, policies, activities, institutions, groups, people, and movements that have created and shaped political life in the United States.
International Encyclopedia of Political Science by Bertrand Badie (Editor); Dirk Berg-Schlosser (Editor); Leonardo A. Morlino (Editor)
ISBN: 9781412959636
Publication Date: 2011-09-07
Offers the widest possible coverage of key areas both regionally and globally. The International Encyclopedia of Political Science provides a definitive, comprehensive picture of all aspects of political life, recognizing the theoretical and cultural pluralism of our approaches and including findings from the far corners of the world.
The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World by Joel Krieger (Editor)
ISBN: 0195117395
Publication Date: 2001-08-02
An accessible, timely, thought-provoking, and comprehensive reference that captures the complexity and vitality of contemporary world affairs.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History by Donald T. Critchlow (Editor-In-Chief); Philip R. VanderMeer (Editor-In-Chief); Paul Boyer (Series edited by)
ISBN: 9780199754618
Publication Date: 2012-04-17
The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History brings together, in one authoritative reference work, an unparalleled wealth of information about the laws, institutions, and actors that have governed America throughout its history.
The Oxford Guide to the United States Government by John J. Patrick; Richard M. Pious; Donald A. Ritchie
ISBN: 019514273X
Publication Date: 2001-07-04
The Oxford Guide to the United States Government is the ultimate resource for authoritative information on the U.S. Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court.
Political Handbook of the World 2018-2019 by Tom Lansford (Editor)
ISBN: 9781544327129
Publication Date: 2019-04-29
Provides timely, thorough, and accurate political information, with more in-depth coverage of current political controversies than any other reference guide.
Supreme Court Yearbook
Provides in-depth coverage and analysis of every decision from the nation's highest court since the 1989-1990 term.

Tracking Current Events

CQ Magazine
CQ Magazine reports on the world's most powerful legislative body completely and accurately every week. With more than 100 reporters, editors and researchers - covering virtually every act of Congress, delivering nonpartisan news and analysis unavailable anywhere else.

CQ Researcher Plus Archive 1923-present This link opens in a new window
This web file provides 48 reports a year on current, hot, and controversial topics such as "Embryo Research," "Rethinking Ritalin," "Drinking on Campus," and "Subsidized Access to the Internet for the Poor." Among the file's beauties are its balanced introductions to these issues; others include its generous selection of cross references to past reports, excellent tables and graphs, and clear instructions on how to cite the resource. A full text product.
Michigan Report (Gongwer News Service) This link opens in a new window
Written by a staff of experienced, professional journalists, Gongwer's daily Michigan Report provides detailed coverage of breaking news related to Michigan government, including executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as general political news related to Michigan and the United States. Other features include bill tracking (legislation); daily schedules of House and Senate legislative committees; Senate, House, Executive Branch, and Judiciary Directories; Election coverage and summaries; Administrative Rule information. Only available in the MSU Main Library.
MIRSnews.com This link opens in a new window
Key public policy resource on Michigan government and politics, including House and Senate legislative reports, the Capitol Capsule, news summaries from around 40 different web sites, and a daily compilation of press releases. MIRS also provides directory information for each office holder (state Senate, state House, Supreme Court, members of the U.S. House and Senate), campaign finance information, committee and subcommittee membership information, lobbyist info, district demographic information, legislative bill tracking, complete capitol calendars of fundraisers, committee meetings and regulatory rules hearings.

Subject Guide

Julia Ezzo

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Subjects: Government Information, Law, Packaging, Political Science, Public Policy

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Political Science / Public Policy Resources: Reference Tools

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Recommended Reference Tools

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