Research Help: POLS 4000: Senior Seminar (Budd): Get Started

Stages of a literature review include:

Background Research

Credo Reference
An easy-to-use database providing dictionary and encyclopedia entries on subjects in all academic disciplines; a scholarly alternative to Wikipedia. Provides access to over 1,000 reference books.
CQ Researcher
In-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
The online edition of the oldest English-language general encyclopaedia.
Gale in Context: Global Issues
Provides access to sources for analysis of current events, issues of international importance, and detailed information about nations. Each entry pulls together source material to analyze social, political, military, economic, health and cultural issues and includes access to newspapers and periodicals, web sites, and multimedia features.
CQ Magazine
Weekly up-to-date nonpartisan reports and analysis on activities of the United States Congress.
A-Z Maps Online
The world’s largest subscription-based database of proprietary, royalty-free world, continent, country, and state maps. Included in the 4,000+ maps are: political maps, physical maps, outline maps, population maps, precipitation maps, climate maps, and other thematic maps. New maps are added to the collection every month.

Identify a research question and any subtopics that might provide context for your question.
Identify search terms that describe your research question and subtopics
Search databases and gather potential sources (articles, books, etc.)
Read each source, summarize, and critique findings along with citations just like you would for an annotated bibliography.
Organize your sources by theme or concept, making sure you connect sources to each other and your overarching research question.
Identify gaps -- do you have enough sources of evidence for each area? Is it possible you missed a source or not enough research has been published on that topic?
Gather additional sources and repeat, if need be.
Read, organize, and formulate a thesis for your paper.
Outline your paper and start writing! (Don't forget to cite).

OpenSecrets
OpenSecrets is the front door for engaging with data on money in politics. You can find resources on elections, politicians, campaign raising and spending, lobbying, learning tools and analysis. OpenSecrets also regularly works with media outlets and journalists to provide exclusive data and analysis to power investigations alongside original reporting.
American Presidency Project
Search thousands of documents related to historical and current U.S. presidencies, such as speeches, official papers, executive orders, proclamations, news conferences, and press briefings.
United Nations Official Documents System
Covers all types of official United Nations documentation, beginning in 1993.
Google Dataset Search
New Google products for searching datasets.
Freedom House
Freedom House has been advocating for global freedom since 1941. Provides a number of reports, data and statistics on state of freedom, civil liberties, press freedom around the world.
YouGov
YouGov is an international research data and analytics group headquartered in London. Results from surveys on a wide variety of issues and topics can be found on this site.

Alternative Press Center
A non-profit collective dedicated to providing access to and increasing public awareness of the alternative press.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
US Department of State's annual report on the status of internationally recognized human rights in hundreds of countries.
Democracy Now
News website featuring independent global news. It seeks to provide the public with "access to people and perspectives rarely heard in the U.S.corporate-sponsored media..."
Miller Center of Public Affairs: Scripps Library and Multimedia Archive
A research facility for scholars of U.S. public policy focusing on American politics and history with special attention paid to the American presidency. The collection includes more than 2,500 hours of secret White House recordings, hundreds of presidential oral history interviews, audio and video recordings of Miller Center Forums, and documents related to the executive branch of American government.
Project Vote Smart
A non-partisan organization devoted to helping the public make educated and responsible decisions about political candidates and ballot measures. Find biographical information, voting records, and more.

Amnesty International
A worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
US Department of State's annual report on the status of internationally recognized human rights in hundreds of countries.
Human Development Reports
Reports documenting worldwide human development issues.
Newspaper Map
Find links to newspapers worldwide. Can be filtered by language.
World Crunch
Find English-language translations of news articles from around the globe.
Watching America
English-language translations of foreign news articles that concern the U.S.
The World Bank
International organization that lends money to developing countries.
Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources
Links that lead to a wealth of information on international affairs. Grouped by topic. Maintained by Dr. Wayne A.Selcher, Professor of International Studies Emeritus, Elizabethtown College in PA.
United Nations Audiovisual Library
From the UN: a "virtual training and research centre in international law."
Global Policy
Watchdog agency for UN policymaking.

Access your digital worksheet for class on 9/24/25 with the following link.