Academic Universe
Congressional Universe
Statistical Universe
GPO
Access
CMC Government 20: Introduction to American
Politics
Professor Chris Wiedey
Honnold/Mudd extensively collects materials in the subject area of Politics
& Government These materials can be found in the General Library Collections
and the Government Publications Collections. This course guide is designed
to help you focus on some of the most relevant information resources in
your subject area.
If you have questions about any of these resources or if you would like
to schedule an appointment to work on your particular research topic, please
contact Mary Martin in Honnold/Mudd Library, ext.18923 (621-8923) mary.martin@libraries.claremont.edu.
To obtain a copy of the class assignment, click here. Please
note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine to access this file.
Finding Information in American Government
General Information
Back To Contents List
Selected
Subject Headings in American Government & Politics
Elections -- United States
Executive power -- United States -- History -- 20th century
Organizational behavior -- United States
Political planning -- United States
Presidential Candidates United States Biography
Presidents-- United States--Nomination--Congresses
Presidents-- United States--Election--Congresses
Public opinion -- United States
Television in politics -- United States
United States -- Politics and government
Watergate Affair, 1972-1974
Back To Contents List
Finding Books
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Blais - the
online catalog of the Libraries of the Claremont Colleges (DEN, HON, SGM,
SPR), is searchable by keyword, author, title, subject, and call number.
In addition to materials in the four libraries, Blais also includes
materials at the Claremont School of Theology (STC), Rancho Santa Ana Botanic
Gardens (RSA), and the Center for Research Libraries (in Chicago). Books
can be searched by author, title, or subject. If you are unsure of the
exact title or if your subject search doesn't produce the results you hoped
for, try a "Words in title" search using two or three of the most significant
words from he title or subject you are trying to find. Subject searching
requires use of Library of Congress Subject Headings. A list of possible
subject headings is provided above.
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CSULink -Union
catalog and book request service that allows Claremont Colleges students,
faculty and staff to borrow books unavailable at our Libraries. This new
service is expected to provide faster delivery of materials than traditional
Interlibrary Loan Services. Participating libraries include CSU Fullerton,
CSU Hayward, CSU Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo,
San Diego State, San Francisco State, San Jose State, Occidental College,
and the Claremont Colleges.
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WorldCat
on FirstSearch - Union catalog of over 36 million records of any
type of material cataloged by OCLC member libraries. Includes manuscripts
written as early as the 11th century. Firstsearch) -- has holdings
of most libraries in North America and the U.K.. These materials may be
borrowed through ILL.
Back To Contents List
Finding General and Popular
Articles in Journals and Newspapers Using Database Indexes
To find articles you must use periodical indexes. Although a few journal
databases are full text, most journal indexes list only article citations
and do not include the full text of the articles. You must locate the journal
in order to find and read the article you need. Search Blais by title of
the journal to determine if the Libraries own the journal you need.
Indexes are available in both paper and electronic formats. Although
electronic indexes are generally easier to use, for some subjects there
are no electronic indexes; for others, the best indexes are paper. The
Libraries have both paper and electronic versions of many indexes. Keep
in mind, whether you are looking for articles in scholarly journals or
popular magazines, most electronic indexes only cover fairly recent publications.
Many do not cover articles written before the 1980's. If you need
to find earlier articles, you will probably have to use paper indexes.
If you need a scholarly article on your subject, written by an expert
and based on research, use an index which covers scholarly journals.
Remember that sometimes the best index for your research needs is a paper
index, not an online database.
Use the list of Alphabetical
List of Databases or the Subject Listing (directly below the link
to the Alphabetical List) or the appropriate Subject Research Guide for
more suggestions on the best databases for your research.
Use the following print and CDROM indexes to find articles and other
materials on specific topics. For questions, please do not hesitate to
call Mary Martin, Government Publications and International Relations,
at extension x18923.
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ABC Pol Sci SEE
Political Science Abstracts
Political Science Abstracts
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Academic Universe (Lexis/Nexis)
This is a full-text database consisting of millions of articles covering
the fields of business, law and legislation, and general news. There are
terminals available in the Reference, Government Publications, and Asian
Studies departments. You may also Telnet through the Library Services Menu.
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America:
History and Life
America: History and Life
Citations and abstracts of articles from over 2,100 journals, book reviews,
and dissertations on the history and culture of the U.S. and Canada. [Library
LAN: 1982 - present; updated three times per year.]
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Ovid
In the Ovid database system,
Wilson General Science Abstracts covers subjects in the sciences (biology,
chemistry, physics, etc.)
Wilson Humanities Abstracts covers subjects in the humanities (art, literature,
music, philosophy, religion, etc.), and
Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts covers subjects in the social sciences
(economics, psychology, government, etc.). One advantage of these three
databases is that the Libraries have most of the journals they index. Coverage
begins in the 1980's. Coverage for earlier years is available in paper
indexes. The following two databases are available through Ovid.
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Pais Index to public policy and social issues, information in a wide range of
subjects. On Ovid back to 1972. Contains selected citations to journal
articles, books, government documents and reports. Also indexes foreign
language publications. Library has paper and electronic sources, although
limited coverage in electronic format. Available in paper back to the early
1900's.
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Political Science Abstracts
Political Science Abstracts
Citations with table of contents from more than 300 journals worldwide in political science
and government. [This resource is available only to users at the Claremont Colleges or connecting to a
Claremont Colleges proxy server or modem pool: 1984- present; updated 3 times per year.]
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Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts General scholarly index. On Ovid back
to 1984; available also as Telnet connection through the Library Services
Menu and in paper back to 1974; preceded by The International Index to
Periodicals and The Social Science and Humanities Index, both located in
the Honnold/Mudd Index Room.
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Wilson's Reader's Guide Abstracts to Periodical Literature General,
multi-disciplinary index. Contains records for general and popular articles
in all subjects. On Ovid back to 1983; available also as telnet
connection through the Library Services Menu and in paper back to the turn
of the century, Honnold/Mudd Index Room/Table 1. Preceded by 19th Century
Readers Guide covering 1890-1899, and Poole's Index to Periodical Literature,
covering 1802-1906, also Honnold Index Room/Table 1.
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Firstsearch
One can also telnet through the Library Services Menu. This database is
a menu driven reference service consisting of dozens of databases, including
the OCLC union catalog WorldCat. WorldCat contains
more than 25 million bibliographic records, representing holdings of more
than 9000 libraries. First Search can also be used to search
approximately 2 dozen periodical and other reference databases such as
the full-text Wilson Select..
Back To Contents List
Finding Information on American
Government & Politics Using the Web
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Academic Universe (Lexis/Nexis)
This is a full-text database consisting of millions of articles covering
the fields of business, law and legislation, and general news. There are
terminals available in the Reference, Government Publications, and Asian
Studies departments. You may also Telnet through the Library Services Menu.
Also has more than 650 full-text information sources such as newspaper
articles, journals, newsletters, wire services, and broadcast transcripts,
which are updated as often as daily. There are legal resource files, which
contain primary sources such as cases, statutes, and regulations as well
as secondary materials such as law review articles etc. There are restrictions
on its use, and you must be a Claremont Colleges student to use Academic
Universe. You may access Academic Universe through the Library Web Page.
You may also Telnet through the Library Services Menu.
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AllPolitics
This is a sub-site of CNN which gives news relating only to Politics. It
IS a news site, with information on current political events and public
figures.
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Congressional Universe
(1970-current). Guide, index and abstracts to hearings, committee prints,
reports and documents issued by Congress. (Also available on CD-ROM from
1989 - current) With Congressional Universe, researchers can track legislative
and public policy issues as well as the activities of committees and members
of Congress. For historical congressional documentation back to 1789 see:
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Congressional Masterfile
I: 1768-1969
COngressional MasterfileI: 1768-1969
Provides indexing for major Congressional documents
including U.S. Serials Set, 1789-1969; U.S. Senate Executive Documents
and Reports, 1817-1969; U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings; 1833-1969;
and U.S. Congressional Committee Prints, 1830-1969. [This resource is available
only to users in the search centers of the Libraries - This resource
is available only to users within the Libraries.]
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CQ Library
CQ Library
- full-text CQ Weekly Report and CQ Researcher available, current and back
to 1983. Excellent source for legislative and executive branch activties.
Also available in paper in Current Periodicals with back issues in the
Hon Ref stacks JK 1 C15. (Passworded link to Online bill tracking and political
news - check with the Reference Librarian).
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FecInfo
This is a non-partisan site from the Center for Responsive Politics that
compiles campaign finance information from the Federal Elections Commission.
It also contains information on PACs.
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Gallup Polls
The world's leading source for public opinion data since 1935. Gallup
Polls, public releases and special reports, archives, to-the-editor and
more.
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Government
Publications Department Home Page – This page has been developed
specifically for the use of students, faculty and staff of the Claremont
Colleges. Provides links to departmental information, Government Agencies,
specific subject guides, alphabetical lists popular sites, and several
more specific pages.
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National Political
Index non-profit, non-partisan index of substantive political
information tactical and logistical information for political activist
organizations
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Project Vote Smart
Input your zip code and find out who your representatives are. This site
even links to the US Postal Service zip code lookup site if you don't know
the zip. Also finds members by state and name. This site returns information
on both federal and state elected officials. It also gives biographical,
contact and officials' response to their questionnaire on certain issues.
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Thomas (House
of Representatives through Library of Congress). Includes: Bill Text, Congressional
Record Text, Bill Summary & Status, Hot Bills, now called "Congress
This Week" and "Major Legislation"), the Congressional Record Index, and
the Constitution (now found, along with other historical Congressional
documents, under the "Historical Documents" category on the THOMAS home
page). Enhancements in the types of legislative data available, as well
as in search and display capabilities, have been continuously added.
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United States Government Printing Office: Keeping America Informed - GPO Access Describes the mission of the U.S. Government
Printing Office. Provides links to GPO Access: sites for the Federal Register,
Congressional Records, bills, and GAO reports. Indexes federal government
publications since January 1994 and will ultimately provide links to federal
depository libraries receiving those publications. Indexes Dept. of Energy
and GPO sales publications.
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USSC+ Supreme Court
Decisions This site is the easiest, I have found,
to search for Supreme Court Decisions from 1966-Present & Leading Cases
from 1793-1966 (USSC+). For additional Law-Related sites, see Government
Affairs, on the Government Publications Home Page.
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The
White House This is the official White House web site, and
has information on the President, Vice-President, search engines for government
information on and off the web, historical documents (including NAFTA and
GATT), statistics, and briefings on issues.
Back To Contents List
Finding Government Information (Primary
Sources) at The Libraries
Government information is a publication or information resource (such
as a CD-ROM or WWW site) created, issued, published or financed by a government
agency. Such agencies can be at international, national, state, regional,
county, or local levels. In addition to typical government documents such
as laws, congressional hearings, and court reports, there are a variety
of materials on a wide range of topics. These include such things as census
data, economic data, educational reports, environmental studies, industrial
surveys, health information, marketing research, legal materials, and statistics
on just about any subject imaginable. – such as Art and American Culture.
Government information is considered to be a primary source. Primary
sources are defined as the raw, unanalyzed material that is the starting
point and basis of all good research. A primary source can be anything
that offers a first-hand account, such as letters, maps, photographs, paintings,
a poem, the manuscript of a novel, a newspaper advertisement, a diary,
census data, statistics or a report. A primary source is an
original, a one-of-a-kind, or the first of its kind.
Back To Contents List
Finding Historical Resources
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American
Government Resource Guide. This is anotherAnother excellent guide
to resources in Government available electronically for current sources,
and in paper for historical government Publications sources.
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Archiving Early America
Here you will find original newspapers, maps and writings from 18th Century
America. An array of authentic documents that form an historical record
of a significant time in the American experience-- the Colonial Period,
the War of Independence, and the presidencies of George Washington and
Thomas Jefferson.
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Constitution
links Here you will find different sites that include the U.S.
Constitution, Amendments to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and even
scanned copies of the original Constitution.
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Counselquest
COUNSEL QUEST™ is a premier internet legal research web tool. Designed
to guide its guests to the vast amount of legal and governmental resources
available on the internet in a quick, concise and easy to use format. As
an added convenience, C.Q. has developed the Remote Briefcase™, a pop-up
index of this site to take with you on your internet quest (only available
with JavaScript enhanced web browsers)
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The
Federalist Project Vote Smart's compilation of links to historic
documents includes the Federalist Papers.
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The
Declaration An online exhibit presented by the Library of Congress
detailing the chronology of the Declaration of Independence, with some
graphics.
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Research section For information on library resources
in History, which includes Politics, connect to the excellent Research
Guide in History located on the Library's Reference & Instruction page.
(Click on "Research Guides", then scroll down to the subject History and
click). Look also for the Government Information Research Guide (live after
February 22, 1999.
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U.S.
Constitution (Hypertext Version) Here you will find the text of
the U.S. Constitution, Amendments, and the Bill of Rights, in a hypertext
format that permits a fuller understanding of the original meaning of the
Constitution. It also includes links to other Founding Documents (incl The Federalist Papers). Also has links to other pertinent sites such as the Supreme Court are also included.
Back To Contents List
Last updated on February 9, 1999 by Mary Martin. For
questions and comments, please contact: mary.martin@libraries.claremont.edu
Government
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