Subject Research Guides   University of West Florida Libraries

Political Science

Reference Guides Databases Bibliographies Dictionaries Encyclopedias Directories Handbooks Yearbooks

Biographies U.S. Congressional Information Election Information Country Information International Historical Statistics MetaLists of Journals Internet Sites

Other Research Guides that may be useful to students of political science include:  Law,  Public Administration,  Criminal Justice  and  Government Documents.

Reference Guides

Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry. 2001. (Ref. H 61 S4435 2001)

This comprehensive second edition provides lengthy definitions for over 300 selected terms related to research and qualitative inquiry, with each entry followed by a list of references. Examples of terms include authenticity, case study research, critical theory, empirical research, external validity, inference, methodology, objectivity, and research design.

Getting Published in Political Science Journals: A Guide for Authors, Editors, and Librarians. 2001. (Ref. JA 86 M37 2001)

Published by the American Political Science Association, this fifth edition outlines 121 journals related to political science. Each entry contains general information about the publication and circulation of each title, contact information, style requirement for manuscript submission, and review policies and procedures.

Handbook of Research Methods: A Guide for Practitioners and Students in the Social Sciences. 2nd edition. 2002. (Ref. Q 180 .55 M4 S67 2002)

The table of contents of this work outlines the research process and follows the steps used in planning and conducting research. Appendixes include a glossary of terms, abbreviations, and symbols; the Greek alphabet; statistical tables; and a checklist for the research proposal.

Political Science Research Methods. 2001. (Ref. JA 71 J55 2001)

This source, the 4th edition of this work published by CQ Press, provides guidance on many aspects of political and social science research including research design, measurement, empirical observation, statistical analysis, interviewing and survey research, reviewing the literature, sampling, testing hypotheses, and document analysis.

Political Science: A Guide to Reference and Information Sources. 1990. (Ref. JA 71 Y6)

Style Manual for Political Science. 2001. (Ref JA 86 A52 2001)

Published by the American Political Science Association's Committee on Publications, this 2001 version of the work updates the library's 1988 edition. This invaluable tool for writers covers authorship, scholarly publishing, and proper formatting in the field of political science, including submission policy and form, text style, citations, appendixes, notes, references, and tables and figures.

Databases

CQ Researcher. 1991- (CQ Press)

This online resource, covering all issues published from 1991 to the present, provides lengthy articles on various current topics which provide background information, charts and tables, related statistics, maps, related biographies, bibliographies for further reading, and more. The articles are an immensely valuable starting point for research on social science issues and current events. The database is searchable and browsable by topic or by date produced. The 2001 printed volume and a comprehensive index to all volumes are available behind the Reference Desk. Previous printed volumes from 1991 through 2000 are held in Periodicals at H 35 .E352.

CRIS: The Combined Retrospective Index to Journals in Political Science, 1886-1974. 8 volumes. 1978. (Ref. J 1 C73)

This index provides citations for political science journal articles published between 1886 and 1974. Access to the work is provided by author and subject indexes.

Cumulated Indexes to The Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States. (Ref. J 82...)

These indexes provide access by subject to the Public Papers of The Presidents. The indexes are published chronologically and begin with President Hoover (1929-1933).

Dissertation & Theses Abstracts. 1861- (ProQuest)

This database includes lengthy abstracts of doctoral dissertations and theses prepared at U.S. and foreign institutions.

Expanded Academic Index ASAP. 1980- (Gale)

The former Academic Index is a comprehensive index to journal and newspaper articles in the social sciences, sciences, and humanities. Coverage of both popular and scholarly journals as well as newspapers is provided in this source.

Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research. (ICPSR)

The ICPSR, established at the University of Michigan, maintains and provides access to a vast archive of over 45,000 social science-related surveys, studies, and datasets for research and instruction. The website allows searching of the abstracts in the database, but downloading is required to view the extensive files of raw data. Topics covered in the ICPSR include history, political science, criminal justice, education, social work, public health and medical care, law, sociology, demography, foreign policy, and economics. The UWF Statistics Center (850-474-2790), located in Building 39, Room 129 of UWF's main campus, may be able to assist users in interpreting and analyzing data downloaded from the ICPSR. While the resource is accessible to undergraduates, because of its complex nature and contents, the database is most appropriate for use by faculty and graduate students.

PAIS International. 1972- (Cambridge)

This index chronicles global public policy and social issues, and provides access to periodicals, books, Web sites, hearings, reports, gray literature, government publications, Internet resources, and other publications from 120 countries. The database, updated monthly, indexes over 3,700 sources and includes over 487,000 records to items published from 1972 to the present. Topics covered include public administration, politics, economics, sociology, and international law. The printed version of PAIS (Ref. H 1 P943) is available from 1915-1971.

Social Sciences Full-Text. 1983- (WilsonWeb)

Nearly 400 scholarly social science journals are indexed in the Social Science Abstracts, which is similar in coverage to the Social Sciences Index (available in print from 1974-1988 at Ref. AI 3 S62).

Social Sciences Citation Index. 1981- (DataStar)

This index, available in the library with Librarian assistance only, provides author, subject and cited author access to articles in social science journals.

United States Political Science Documents. 1975-1990. (Ref. JA 1 U5)

This index to major U.S. political science journals provides summaries and citations to articles and documents. Access to this source is provided by geographical, journal contents, subject and author indexes.

U.S. Superintendent of Documents. Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications. 1895-1992. (Gov. Doc. Z 1223 A18) and GPO Monthly Catalog 1976-present

This source lists current publications of all U.S. government agencies alphabetically by title under the issuing department or bureau. Indexed by author, subject and title key word.

Westlaw Campus

A comprehensive legal database that provides full text coverage of legal publications including laws, cases, regulations, law reviews, and reference materials.

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. 1975- (Cambridge)

This valuable database provides citations, abstracts, and selected full-text articles of the international periodical literature in political science and related fields, including international relations, law, public administration, and public policy. An increasing number of periodical titles, currently totaling over 1,500, are being monitored for coverage. As of September 2007, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts contains over 600,000 records to items published from 1975 to the present. The database is indexed using a thesaurus of over 3,000 main terms which is available and searchable online.  

Bibliographies

American Foreign Relations since 1600: A Guide to the Literature. 2nd edition. 2 volumes. 2003. (Ref. Z 6465 U5 G84 2003)

This work indexes and briefly summarizes over 16,000 documents and other resources (both published and unpublished) concerning America's foreign relations from the colonial era through the end of the 20th century.

Comprehensive Bibliography of American Constitutional and Legal History, 1896-1979. 5 volumes. 1984. Supplement, 1980-87. (Ref. KF 4541 H34)

This comprehensive bibliography contains books, journal articles, and dissertations on American political and legal history.

International Bibliography of Political Science. 1958-1989. (Ref. Z 7163 I64)

This annual bibliography of political science materials published internationally is produced by UNESCO. It includes books, periodical articles, documents and reports.

U.S. Government on the Web: Getting the Information You Need. 3^rd edition. 2003. (Ref. ZA 5075 H47 2003)

This detailed work not only provides thousands of links to government information available online, but explains the various types of informational resources, Web browser hardware and software, Web portals and search engines, and much more. Links with descriptive annotations are provided by subject, as well as by government agency. The 1999 edition of this title is available online via netLibrary.

Vietnam-Era Prisoner-of-War/Missing-In-Action Database  http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pow/powhome.html

This database from the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress has been established to help researchers identify documents of interest. Microfilm copies of the material can be sent via inter-library loan.

Dictionaries

American Political Dictionary. 1997. (Ref. JK 9 P55)

This dictionary is arranged by broad subject area. Within each area, descriptions and definitions of political terms, agencies, court cases and statutes are provided. See also Dictionary of Government and Politics (Ref. JA 61 D52 1998)

Dictionary of 20^th Century World Politics. 1993. (Ref. JA 61 S53)

This work provides short definitions of political theories, ideas, and events. Biographical information on prominent individuals in world politics is also included.

Dictionary of Global Culture. 1999. (Ref. CB 9 D53 1999)

With a worldwide perspective and an eye toward the future, this unique dictionary provides 1,200 brief essays on individuals, organizations, geographic locations, movements, cultural trends, and more that shed light on the diverse realm of global culture.

Dictionary of Modern Politics, 3rd edition. 2002. (Ref. JA 61 R63 2002)

This revised and updated, fully cross-referenced edition contains over 500 extended definitions of political terminology, including political theories and ideas, technical and specialized terms, important individuals, and basic principles of political thought. The 1985 edition of the work is available for check-out in the Book Stacks at Ref. JA 61 R63. See also Dictionary of Modern Political Ideologies (Ref. JA 61 D53 1987). 

DOD Dictionary of Military Terms  http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict

Dorsey Dictionary of American Government And Politics. 1988. (Ref. JK 9 S42)

This comprehensive dictionary provides definitions of all aspects of governance. Each entry is accompanied by a list of References. Laws and court rulings are cited when relevant.

Historical Dictionary of United States Political Parties. 2000. (Ref. JK 2261 B345)

This book consists of concise entries on the parties, major and minor, past and present and their leaders, the workings of the parties, and jargon. Presidents, vice-presidents, and conventions are listed.

Illustrated Dictionary of Constitutional Concepts. 1996. (Ref. JA 61 .M28)

This source provides definitions of constitutional terminology and biographies of individuals who were involved in constitutional matters. While the dictionary's scope is national, international influences, both ancient and contemporary, are covered as well.

International Relations: A Political Dictionary. 1995. (Ref. JX 1226 P55)

This well-indexed work, arranged alphabetically by subject, not only provides definitions of international relations terms but also includes the historical significance of each term. A geographical guide, located at the front of the dictionary, provides access to entries relating to specific countries.

Oxford Companion to Politics of The World. 2001. (Ref. JA 61 O95)

This work provides 672 lengthy descriptions of concepts, treaties, governments, events, issues, and organizations pertaining to contemporary world politics.

Oxford Guide to the United States Government. 2001. (Ref. JK 9 P384)

This work provides short, alphabetically arranged articles which define and provide information on people, buildings, federal departments, historic events, issues, concepts, and terms related to state government.

Real Life Dictionary of American Politics. 1994. (Ref. JK 9 H55)

This source, subtitled "What They're Saying and What It Really Means" contains practical definitions of political terminology. A chronological list of presidents, biographies of presidents, a congressional directory, and texts of political documents are appended.

Encyclopedias

American Presidential Campaigns & Elections. 3 volumes. 2003. (Ref JK 1965 A57 2003)

his valuable, extensive work contains original documents, chronologies, maps, statistics, photos, illustrations and cartoons, a bibliography, glossary, and index. Volume 1 thoroughly covers the American electoral process, while Volumes 2 & 3 discuss each presidential campaign and election from 1788 through 2000.

Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought. 1987. (Ref. JA 61 B57)

This encyclopedia provides essays which describe political ideas and doctrines. Bibliographies follow each essay. The companion to this work is The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Institutions (Ref. JA 61 B56 1987) and Encyclopedia of Political Revolutions (Ref JC 491 E63 1998).

Colonialism: An International Social, Cultural, and Political Encyclopedia. 3 volumes. 2003. (Ref. JV 22 C65 2003)

This work offers over 600 entries covering the society, culture, and politics of both colonizers and the colonized over the past 500 years. Volumes 1 & 2 are alphabetically arranged by entry term, while Volume 3 contains supplementary documents. Selected maps and black and white images, as well as extensive chronologies, are also included. Each entry is cross referenced and concludes with suggestions for further reading.

Encyclopedia of American Political History. 3 volumes. 1984. (Ref. E 183 E5)

This encyclopedia includes lengthy articles describing major political events, issues, processes, and developments in American history. Bibliographies accompany each essay. See also Encyclopedia of American Public Policy (Ref. JK 468 P64 J33 1999).

Encyclopedia of American Political History. 2001. (Ref E 183 E48 2001)

This work presents over 240 alphabetically-arranged articles on American political history. The volume includes a descriptive timeline of political events in U. S. history and a dictionary of abbreviations used in American history, as well as a comprehensive index to its contents.

Encyclopedia of American Prisons. 2003. (Ref. HV 9471 S54 2003)

This alphabetically arranged, fully indexed work provides informative essays on hundreds of terms, concepts, and individuals related to the correctional system in America. Examples include Charles Manson, the Mafia, murders in prison, Sudden In-Custody Death Syndrome, the death penalty, women's prisons, and imprisonment alternatives.

Encyclopedia of Conflicts since World War II. 4 volumes. 1999. (Ref D 843 E46 1999)

This extensive A-Z reference work includes maps, chronologies, a bibliography, and index. Its introduction covers the roots of war, regional maps, and alliances and treaties, while the rest of the work thoroughly discusses and analyzes 142 significant post-WWII conflicts through the end of the 20th century.

Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts. 2003. (Ref. GN 496 E56 2003)

This fascinating and informative work profiles 38 ethnic conflicts of the modern day, including well-known conflicts such as those involving Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Chechnya, and Rwanda, as well as lesser known conflicts. The United States is also featured with conflicts involving Native Americans, Puerto Ricans, and other racial minorities. Each entries provides a timeline, historical background, information on the management of the conflict, a discussion of the conflict's significance, and suggested readings.

Encyclopedia of Worldwide Modern Extremists and Extremist Groups. 2004. (Ref. HN 49 R33 A85 2004)

With a focus on events since 1980, this encyclopedia provides 290 articles of half a page to one page in length describing extremist groups worldwide. Each entry concludes with a list of suggested additional readings. The work also contains a detailed chronology of events beginning in 1858, and a selected bibliography of related resources.

Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion. 2 volumes. 1998. (Ref. BL 65 P7 E53)

In 256 signed articles and essays, this encyclopedia examines the interactions of politics and religion and how they have shaped public attitudes, sparked action and influenced policy.

Encyclopedia of Terrorism. 2003. (Ref. HV 6431 K883 2003)

This current, comprehensive work offers global coverage of all aspects of terrorism. It contains over 300 in-depth articles covering terrorist groups, key events, important individuals, terms, and statistics. Over 50 black and white photographs and maps, as well as appendixes providing a chronology, bibliography, and more, enhance the text.

Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. 4 volumes. 1986. (Ref. KF 4548 E58)

This work offers over 2,000 articles, arranged alphabetically, provide a good introduction to the complicated subject of constitutional law. See also the 1992 supplement.

Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Relations. 1990. (Ref. JX 1977 O8213)

This second edition provides information on the structure, functions, and agencies of the United Nations. This encyclopedia contains partial or entire texts of many international agreements, conventions, and treaties. Short bibliographies accompany each entry.

Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements. 4 volumes. 2003. (Ref. JX 1977 O8213 2003)

This extensive, fully cross-referenced third edition provides thousands of essays addressing the United Nations and how its institutions operate. Types of entries include non-governmental organizations, international organizations and agencies, actions and operations, individuals, pacts and agreements, treaties and declarations, and much more. Many entries conclude with suggestions for further reading, while Volume 4 contains a comprehensive index. Volume 1 also contains a useful chart outlining the United Nations System.

Ethics in the U.S. Government: An Encyclopedia of Investigations, Scandals, Reforms, and Legislation. 2001. (Ref. JK 468 E7 R556 2001)

The entries in this fully cross-referenced encyclopedia range from a paragraph to several pages, and provide references to further reading. The book also contains an index, selected black and white images, and a timeline of important events.

Great Debates at the United Nations: An Encyclopedia of Fifty Key Issues, 1945-2000. 2001. (Ref. KZ 4968 G67 2001)

Covering each entry in approximately 5 pages, this works summarizes in 50 issues debated in the United Nations in the latter half of the twentieth century. Each article provides a background to the debate, the significance of the issue, the history of the debate, and its outcome. Issues include the status of women, zionism as racism, Kosovo, apartheid in South Africa, and more. Suggestions for further reading conclude the entries. Multiple appendixes offer supplemental information about the United Nations and its leaders, members, and activities.

Greenwood Encyclopedia of of International Relations . 4 volumes. 2002. (Ref. JZ 1160 N65 2002)

"The rise of the Great Powers and the course of world civilization, their formative wars and diplomatic, political, and economic relations, are the primary focus" of the work. The book contains over 6,000 alphabetically-arranged entries, 29 maps, and a comprehensive index.

Historical Guide to the U.S. Government. 1998. (Ref. JK 9 H57)

This work includes an historical overview of the departments and agencies of the U.S. government. The lengthy essays, which describe the purpose and development of government organizations, each followed by a bibliography.

International Encyclopedia of Elections. 2000. (Ref. JF 1001 I57)

This book's 147 alphabetically arranged entries are designed to explain how diverse features of the election process operate in different historical, geographical, and cultural settings.

International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (IESBS). 2001. (Ref. H 41 I58 2001 & available online)

This highly inter-disciplinary, 26-volume encyclopedia set provides thousands of detailed articles written by 4,000 authors from over 50 countries, including 150 biographical entries of deceased scientists and scholars. The fully cross-referenced work also provides approximately 90,000 bibliographic references and concludes with comprehensive name and subject indexes. This new reference tool helps to supplement and update the information contained in MacMillan's classic, 18-volume International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (Ref. H 40 A2 I5) published in 1968.

International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. 18 volumes. 1968. (Ref. H 40 A2 I5)

Aspects of political science are well covered in this comprehensive encyclopedia. A list of references follow each article.

Legal Systems of the World: A Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia. 2002. 4 volumes. (Ref. K 48 L44 2002)

This alphabetically-arranged, fully-indexed encyclopedia provides nearly 400 lengthy essays addressing the legal systems of countries throughout the world. Both the federal and state systems of the United States are discussed. Entries present such topics as general information, history, culture, government, structure, legal concepts, staffing, legal practice and training, the impact of the law, and notable features of the legal system. Maps and charts complement the text of the articles, while each entry concludes with references to further reading.

Philosophy of Law: An Encyclopedia. 2 volumes. 1999. (Ref. K 204 P49 1999)

This encyclopedia of legal theory and philosophical concepts of law focuses on North American concerns but includes international applications of core issues and the history of the issues' development.

Republics and Regions of the Russian Federation: A Guide to Politics, Policies, and Leaders. 2000. (Ref. JN 6699 A88 R47 2000)

The guide provides concise yet informative portraits of Russia's 89 regions. Following an introduction addressing the administrative structure within the Russian Federation, each profile consists of an overview of the region; selected statistics; discussions of political and policy issues, business development, leadership and institutions; and selected Web sites.

Uniting States: The Story of Statehood for the Fifty United States. 3 volumes. 2004. (Ref. JK 2408 U65 2004)

In 51 chapters of approximately 30 pages each, this work provides first an overview of the 'Uniting of the States of America,' followed by one chapter per state describing in detail its progression toward and entry into statehood, from Delaware in 1787 to Hawaii in 1959. Each chapter also contains a list of territorial developments, territorial and state capitals, the origin of the state name, first governor, governmental organization, population at statehood, geographical size, and a bibliography. The same 39 insightful maps are reprinted in each volume, while Volume 3 contains appendixes outlining the states in order of their admission date and an alphabetical listing of the states followed by their admission dates.

World Encyclopedia of Parliaments and Legislatures.  1998. (Ref. JF 511 W67)

This work explains law-making procedures, constitutions and political parties for the countries of the world.

Directories

American Institute of Parliamentarians: Membership Directory. Fall 2002. (Ref. JF 515 A45 39th ed. 2002)

Contact information for AIP committee members and officers, as well as the general membership (alphabetically and by state) are provided. The work also provides a brief history of the AIP, the organization's bylaws, and listings of past presidents and the locations of all previous annual sessions.

American Political Science Association Online (APSANET) http://www.apsanet.org/section_192.cfm

This list is an aid to contacting National, State, and Regional organizations and associations related to political science.

CSG State Directory. 3 volumes. Annual. (Ref. JK 2403 .S66)

Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of state elective officials, legislative members, and administrative officials are provided in this directory.

Clerk's Manual. Biennial. 1968-2006. (FL. Doc. Ref. Desk LEG.B 8:C 53:) and http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/FileStores/Adhoc/ClerksManual/2006-2008.pdf

Compiled for use by the Florida House of Representatives, this manual lists telephone numbers, standing committees, and biographical information for each member of the Florida legislature

Electronic Embassy http://www.embassy.org/

This resource contains addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers of foreign embassies in the United States. For a directory of foreign consuls in the U.S. see, Foreign Consular Offices in the United States http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/

Encyclopedia of Associations. Annual. (Ref. Desk A5 22 E5) and Gale's Ready Reference Shelf. This database includes Directory of International Organizations.

Searches may be made by subject, title, or keywords. Results include address, URL if any, contact person, organization size, notes, meetings, publications, description, and purpose.

NIRA's World Directory of Think Tanks. 2002.  http://www.nira.go.jp/ice/nwdtt/index.html

This web site provides an introduction to the world's most prominent public policy research institutes, or think tanks by including information on 320 think tanks from 77 countries.

State Yellow Book. Semi-Annual. (Ref. Desk JK 2403 S77)

Furnishes organizational listings for executive and legislative branches of state government with current statistics, historical sketches and lists for further reading. 

Study Abroad 2004-2005. 32^nd edition. (Ref. LB 2338 S86 v.32 2004/2005)

This work, compiled by UNESCO, outlines over 2,700 opportunities for post-secondary studies in all academic and professional fields in 147 countries and territories, including courses and scholarships offered by international organizations and those offered by national authorities and institutions, as well as distance education opportunities. The directory includes only degree-granting institutions, thereby excluding language courses, summer schools, and seminars that do not offer degrees. Programs between partner schools are also excluded. Information is provided in English, French, or Spanish, according to the language in which it was submitted by the host organization or institution, and it should be assumed that the language of instruction is the national language of the country in which the program is offered.

United States Government Manual. Annual. (Ref. Desk Gov. Doc. AE 2108/2:)

Branches, departments and agencies of the U.S. government are listed and described in this well-indexed manual. See also DocLawWeb http://www.washlaw.edu/doclaw/ which indexes Federal government resources, and U.S. Federal Government Agencies Directory http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html.  Both list homepages, publications, and organization charts for agencies.

Washington Representatives. 1997. (Ref. JK 1118 D58)

this work lists people who lobby for American trade associations, professional societies, labor unions, corporations, public interest groups and foreign governments. For lobbyists in Florida see Lobbyist Information (Florida) http://www.leg.state.fl.us/lobbyist.

Handbooks

Almanac of American Politics. Biennial. (Ref. Desk JK 1010 A6)

This work is subtitled The Senators, the Representatives and the Governors: Their Records and Election Results, Their States and Districts. See also Politics in America.

Almanac of Florida Politics. 1998. (Ref. 4430 M53)

This almanac attempts to explain how the government and the courts are structured at the state and local level; describes each county and its background; and includes information for elected officials, lobbyists, power brokers, and party leaders. Demographic information, voting patterns, ethnic and racial composition and economic data are included.

European Union Handbook. 2002 (Ref. D 1060 E8685 2002)

This second edition covers topics such as the history and context of the EU, politics, economics, policies of the organization, law and society, external relations, and the future of the EU. The work also contains maps, a chronology, glossary, brief biographies of related individuals, tables of statistics, and lists of additional reading.

Florida Handbook. Biennial. (Ref. Desk F 306 F597)

This handbook provides descriptions of Florida executive, legislative, and judicial government. In addition, sections are devoted to historical, economic, social, and cultural profiles.

Measures of Political Attitudes. 1999. (Ref. JA 74.5 M43)

This work, intended to be a "starting point" this comprehensive guide to the most useful measures of social science concepts, also includes selected scales and instructions.

U.S. National Security. 2002. (Ref UA 23 W36397 2002)

This useful reference handbook provides a background on national security, including old and new threats to the U.S. and past and current controversies. It also offers a chronology of events and biographical sketches of important personalities. Much of the work is also dedicated to primary documents, provided in their entirety or accessible online, including charters for the UN and NATO; speeches from Churchill, Dulles, Reagan, Bush, and Acheson; treaties, doctrines, and resolutions; and more. Appendixes also provide listings of organizations and print and non-print resources.

New Handbook of Political Science. 1996. (Ref. JA 66 .N49)

Lengthy essays relating to a particular aspect of political science are provided in this source, which updates the Handbook of Political Science. The handbook is international in scope and includes such topics as political behavior, international relations, political theory, public administration, and political institutions. Bibliographies accompany each entry and a separate cumulative index provides access to the handbook.

Political Parties in America. 2001. (Ref. JK 2261 P636 2001)

The first part of this work introduces political parties and briefly discusses third parties. The second part summarizes each of over 40 different political parties that have operated in the U.S. The final part addresses the processes involved in campaigns and elections, such as campaign finance and nominating conventions. Multiple appendixes provide additional, valuable information, such as a list of all U.S. presidents and vice presidents, political affiliations in Congress and the Presidency, election results, votes cast and delegates selected in presidential primaries, sites of major party conventions, and more.

Vital Statistics on American Politics. 1995. (Ref. JK 274 S74)

Data covering a variety of aspects relating to political science, including statistics on the constitution, mass media, campaigns and elections, political parties, public opinion, interest groups, congress, executive branch, judiciary, federalism, foreign policy, social policy, and economic policy are contained in this handbook.

Yearbooks

Book of the States. Biennial. 1935- (Ref. JK 2403 B6)

This work is a useful compendium of information on the structure, finances, and services of state governments in America.

Historic Documents. Annual. 1972-1990. (Ref. E 839.5 H57)

This work contains reprints of statements, Supreme Court decisions, reports, special studies, speeches, and other documents of national and international significance.

Municipal Year Book. Annual. 1934- (Ref. JS 344 C5 A24)

This work describes major management and staff issues in municipal government; discusses effects of federal and state statutory and administrative law on municipal government; and provides statistical and directory information for municipal agencies. Sources of information are cited.

State and Local Government.  Annual.  (Ref. JK 2403 S715)

While most articles focus on defining and analyzing state issues and agendas, two sections of this annual focus on local government issues and concerns.

Biographies

American Political Scientists: A Dictionary. 1993. (Ref. JA 61 A525)

This work provides lengthy career biographies of 171 political scientists. Lists of selected works published by these individuals follow the entries. See also Routledge Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Political Thinkers (Ref. JA 83 R725 1992).

Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. 4 volumes. 1978. (Ref. JK 2447 M86)

Short bibliographies accompany each entry in this work. Supplemented by volumes for 1978-1983, 1983-1988, 1988-94. For biographies of mayors of major American cities, see Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors, 1820-1980.  (Ref. E 176 B5725 1981).

Biographical Directory of the United States Executive Branch, 1774-1989. 1990. (Ref. E 176 B578)

This work contains biographies of all cabinet heads, as well as presidents, vice-presidents, and presidents of the Continental Congress. A bibliography accompanies each entry.

Chamber's Biographical Dictionary. 1997. (Ref. CT 103 C4) and http://www.s9.com/biography/.

Biographical information for over 18,000 prominent individuals from ancient times to the current period are included in this general dictionary. See also Biography.com http://www.biography.com/.

Political Profiles. 1976- (Ref. E 840.6 P64)

This series, beginning with the Truman administration, includes short biographies of men and women who were politically significant during each presidency.

Presidents: A Reference History. 1997. (Ref. E 176.1 P918)

This work provides lengthy career biographies of the American presidents through William Clinton. Bibliographies accompany each article. For biographical sketches of those who were nominated for President or Vice-President but failed to achieve that goal, see Presidential Also-Rans and Running Mates, 1788-1980 (Ref. E 176.1 S695 1984).

Twentieth-Century Women Politicians. 1998. (Ref. HQ 1236.5 U6 T496 1998)

This concise work offers brief biographies of 10 female politicians. Each entry includes black and white photographs, a chronology, and list of further reading.

Who's Who in American Politics. Biennial. 1967/68-1991/992. (Ref. E 176 W6424)

This work provides biographical and directory information about politically active Americans. See also American Leaders 1789-1994: A Biographical Summary (Ref. E 176 A59) and Who's Who in America (Ref. E 663 W56).

U.S. Congressional Information

Biographical Directory of the American Congress. 1774- . (Ref. JK 1010 A54)

This work provides brief biographies of the members of Congress and the Continental Congress. Also lists the executive administrations and members of each Congress by state delegation. See also, Biographical Guides on the Internet http://bioguide.congress.gov/biosearch/biosearch.asp, http://clerkweb.house.gov/,  http://www.senate.gov/,  and Members of Congress since 1789 (Ref. JK 1010 M45 1985).

Congress A to Z. 1993. (Ref. JK 1067 C67)

Lengthy essays providing information about the structure and operations of the legislative system, and biographical sketches of selected members of congress are contained in this source. Tables, statistical data, indexes and an extensive bibliography are included in the back of the encyclopedia.

Congress.com http://www.congress.org/

This resource provides information about current bills, key votes, and hearing schedules as well as a representative locator by zip code.

Congressional Quarterly's Guide to Congress. 1991. (Ref. JK 1021 C565)

This work provides an overview of the U.S. Congress. For more specific information see the following Congressional Quarterly publications: CQ Weekly Report (Ref. Desk JK 1 C15), which offers the most current and detailed information on congressional activities; CQ Almanac (Ref. JK 1 C66), an annual work summarizing each congressional session; and Congress And The Nation, 1945-1996 (Ref. KF 4935 C6) which provides an analysis of each presidential term. See also CQ's Guide to The U.S. Supreme Court (Ref. KF 8742 W567 1997).

Congressional Universe (Lexis-Nexis)

This selectively full-text database provides information about proposed legislation, legislative activities, members of Congress, and Congressional publications. Links to related sites on the Internet are also included.

Congressional Yellow Book. Quarterly. (Ref. Desk JK 1012 C6532)

This work provides the address, telephone number, committee assignments, and lists of congressional aides for senators and representatives. For information on federal departments and agencies see Federal Yellow Book (Ref. JK 6 F45).

Official Congressional Directory. Annual. (Gov. Doc. Y 4.P93/1: & http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cdirectory/index.html)

This work updates Biographical Directory of The United States Congress....1774-1989 (Gov. Doc. Y 1.1/3:100-34).

Election Information

American Presidential Campaigns & Elections. 3 volumes. 2003. (Ref JK 1965 A57 2003)

his valuable, extensive work contains original documents, chronologies, maps, statistics, photos, illustrations and cartoons, a bibliography, glossary, and index. Volume 1 thoroughly covers the American electoral process, while Volumes 2 & 3 discuss each presidential campaign and election from 1788 through 2000.

America Votes. Biennial. 1956- (Ref. JK 1967 A8)

This work contains voting statistics for federal and state level elections.

Atlas of Florida Voting and Public Opinion. 1998. (Ref. G 1316 F9 D44 1998)

Common Cause http://www.commoncause.org/

Comparative Study of Electoral Systems  http://www.umich.edu/~cses

A collaborative program of cross-national research among election study teams

League of Women Voters http://www.lwv.org/

Elections and Electoral Systems Around the World http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/election.htm

This comprehensive list provides links to election information and results throughout the world.

FEC (Federal Election Commission) http://www.fec.gov/

This database provides information about elections and voting, such as voter registration, turnout statistics, election results, and news releases. It also discloses financial information about candidates, parties, and PACs. For information about Florida elections, see Florida Division of Elections http://election.dos.state.fl.us/.

Florida Division of Elections http://election.dos.state.fl.us/

History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2001. 11 volumes. 2002. (Ref. E 183 H58 2002)

This 5,000-page series contains essays of 10 to 20 pages for each presidential election in the United States. In addition, appendixes for each article offer transcripts of debates between the candidates, news coverage, and details of popular and electoral votes. Volume 11 also contains a bibliography of readings for each election, a concise chronology of U.S. presidents, and a comprehensive index.

IFES (International Foundation for Election Systems) http://www.ifes.org/

This organization, established to support democratic institutions and to provide information about elections, offers coverage of worldwide elections.

Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research. (ICPSR)

The ICPSR, established at the University of Michigan, maintains and provides access to a vast archive of over 45,000 social science-related surveys, studies, and datasets for research and instruction. The Website allows searching of the abstracts in the database, but downloading is required to view the extensive files of raw data. Topics covered in the ICPSR include history, political science, criminal justice, education, social work, public health and medical care, law, sociology, demography, foreign policy, and economics. The UWF Statistics Center (850-474-2790), located in Building 39, Room 129 of UWF's main campus, may be able to assist users in interpreting and analyzing data downloaded from the ICPSR. While the resource is accessible to undergraduates, because of its complex nature and contents, the database is most appropriate for use by faculty and graduate students.

Lijphart Elections Archive http://dodgson.ucsd.edu/lij/

This database created by University of California in San Diego provides district level election results for 350 national legislative elections in 26 countries.

ANES (American National Election Studies) http://www.electionstudies.org/

This resource contains data on voting, public opinion, and political participation.

Political Forecasting http://morris.wharton.upenn.edu/forecast/Political/index.html

This political forecasting Web site, also accessible by typing in politicalforecasting.com, is a resource for scholars and practitioners interested in forecasting elections and other political events. During presidential election years, the site will deal almost exclusively with the race for the White House. Dr. Alfred Cuzán, the Chair of UWF's Department of Political Science & Government, is a co-founder and a collaborator for the site.

Presidential Elections Since 1789. 1991. (Ref. JK 524 P68)

This resource provides information on presidential elections including facts about the Electoral College, popular returns, presidential primaries, and nominations of minor party candidates. See also National Party Platforms, 1840-1976 (Ref. JK 2255 J64 1978) and National Party Conventions, 1831-1992 (Ref. JK 2255 N374).

Project Vote Smart http://www.vote-smart.org/

Public Agenda Online http://www.publicagenda.org/

Roll Call Online http://www.rollcall.com/

This resource provides election results, policy briefings, news releases, and commentaries for the U.S. elections.

Statistical History of the American Electorate. 2001. (Ref. JK 1967 R87 2001)

Published by CQ Press, this extensive work provides abundant tables reporting on the history of the American electorate, including data on voting patterns, election laws, party winners and losers, and more. Each of 8 chapters contains numerous, detailed tables, preceded by textual explanations and background information.

Country Information

Atlapedia Online http://www.atlapedia.com/

This work provides full-color maps and information about countries of the world.

Background Notes. 1998. (U.S. Docs S 1.123:) and http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/

The U.S. State Department publishes, both in print and on the Internet, comprehensive information about many countries throughout the world. Geographic, demographic, political, economic, and cultural information are usually provided for each country covered in this series.

CIA World Factbook. 2000. (Gov. Docs. Prex 3.15) http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

This work provides statistical and narrative information about countries of the world.

Constitutions of The World. 1995. (Ref. K 3157 E5 M33)

This work provides descriptions of constitutions and constitutional histories. The handbook is arranged alphabetically by country with a glossary and index. For information on treaties, consult Treaties in Force (Gov. Doc. S 9.14:).

Europa Regional Surveys of the World. 7 volumes. 2003 (call numbers vary)

This work provides lengthy summaries of the geography, history, government, economy, services, religion, media, and more for each country in the world. Descriptive information, as well as statistical tables and charts, are included. Titles in the 2003 series are as follows. Older editions of several of the works are also avaiable in the Book Stacks.

• Africa South of the Sahara (Ref. D3 A4 A3)
  
• Far East and Australasia (Ref. D3 A4 F3)
  
• South America, Central America, and the Caribbean (Ref. D3 A4 S6)
  
• Western Europe (Ref. D3 A4 W4)
  
• The USA and Canada (Ref. D3 A4 U8)
  
• Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia (Ref. D3 A4 E2)
  
• Central and South-Eastern Europe (Ref. D3 A4 C4)
  
• Middle East & North Africa (Ref. DS 49 .M5)
  
  

Europa World Year Book. 2 volumes. Annual. (Ref. Desk JN 1 E85)

This work provides summaries of the geography, history, government, economy, services, religion, and media of each country in the world. Descriptive information, as well as statistical tables and charts, are included. See also Political Handbook of the World (Ref. JF 37 P61), Statesman's Yearbook (Ref. JA 51 .S7), and the Commonwealth Yearbook (Ref. JN 248 .C5912).

European Political Facts, 1648-1984. 4 volumes. 1975-1984. (Ref. JN 3 C65)

This series provides facts about the elections, government leaders, justice systems, economy, etc. of the European countries. See also European Political Facts, 1900-1996 (Ref. JN 12 C637 1998) and British Political Facts, 1900-1985 (Ref. JN 231 B8).

GeoHive: Country Data Index. http://www.geohive.com/cntry

This source provides statistics, tables and charts relating to countries of the world.

Global Etiquette by Country http://international.monster.com/workabroad/archives/etiquette

LC Country Studies http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html

This work provides full-text information on political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of over 91 countries in the world.

Political Parties of the World. 1988. (Ref. JF 2051 D39)

This work provides information concerning the constitutional, electoral, and parliamentary aspects of political parties of the world. See also World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties (Ref. JF 2011 W67).

Rulers and Governments of the World, Earliest Times-1975. 3 volumes. 1977-1978. (Ref. D 11 R84)

This work, arranged alphabetically by country or territory, provides ruler's dates of birth, accession, nomination, or election, relation to preceding ruler, and resignation or death. See also Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/chiefs/.

World Bank Group: Countries and Regions http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/0,,pagePK:180619~theSitePK:136917,00.html

This work provides information about the demographics, trade, travel, culture, laws, and finance of countries in the world.

International Statistics

CIA World Factbook. 2000. (Gov. Docs. Prex 3.15) http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

This work provides statistical and narrative information about countries of the world.

East European and Soviet Data Handbook: Political, Social, and Developmental Indicators, 1945-1975. 1981. (Ref. HA 1446 S53)

Europa World Year Book. 2 volumes. Annual. (Ref. Desk JN 1 E85)

This work provides summaries of the geography, history, government, economy, services, religion and media of each country in the world. Descriptive information, as well as statistical tables and charts, are included. See also Political Handbook of the World (Ref. JF 37 P61), Statesman's Yearbook (Ref. JA 51 .S7), and the Commonwealth Yearbook (Ref. JN 248 .C5912).

International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia, and Oceania, 1750-1993. 1998. (Ref. HA 4675 M552 1998)

International Historical Statistics: Europe, 1750-1993. 1998. (Ref. HA 1107 M5 1998)

Contains comparative data for 24 European countries based on official sources. Hundreds of tables arranged in 10 sections: Population and Vital Statistics, Labour Force, Agriculture, Industry, External Trade, Transport and Communications, Finance, Prices, Education, and National Accounts.

International Historical Statistics: The Americas, 1750-1993. 1998. (Ref. HA 175 M55 1998)

State, Economy, and Society in Western Europe, 1815-1975: A Date Handbook in Two Volumes. 1983. (Ref. HN 374 S731 1983)

Statistical Abstract of Latin America. 1967-. (Ref. HA 935 S8 1967)

Statistical Abstract of the World. 1994 & 1997. (1994 at Ref. HA 154 S68; 1997 at Ref. Desk HA 154 S68)

Statistical Yearbook/annuaire Statisque. Annual. 1948- (Ref. JX 1977 A2 ST STAT XX S79)

The United Nation's statistical abstract of the world, regional, and country data. Covers demographics, social and educational statistics, and domestic/external economic activity.

World Development Indicators . Annual. 1978-current (Ref. HC 59.13 W656)

The World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. The WDI includes more than 900 indicators in over 80 tables organized in 6 sections: World View, People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links. Also online http://www.worldbank.org/data/wdi/home.html.

World Handbook of Political & Social Indicators. 2 volumes. 1983. (Ref. HN 25 T39 1983)

Metalists of Journals

For online journals to which UWF subscribes, see http://library.uwf.edu/ejournals/index.shtml.

Metalists of political science journals on the Internet:

• Foreign Affairs http://www.foreignaffairs.org/: The Council on Foreign Relations provides this online service for searching selected, major foreign affairs journals, as well as information on recent books and documents and links to other Web resources
• Political Science Journals (APSA) http://apsanet.org/pubs/index.cfm
• Poly-Cy http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/PolyCy/psjourn.html
• Yahoo! Political Science Journals http://www.yahoo.com/social_science/political_science/journals

Internet Sites

Lists of U.S. Government Agencies:

• Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2005 http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/
• DocLawWeb http://www.washlaw.edu/doclaw/
• Federal Court Locator http://www.law.villanova.edu/library/researchandstudyguides/federalcourtlocator.asp
• FedWorld http://www.fedworld.gov/
• Foreign Relations of the United States Digitizing Project http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/FRUS (University of Wisconsin): The site currently contains digital versions of volumes from 1863 through 1958, with the largest portion covering 1900-1918 (not counting volumes covering World War I). The volumes are presented as images, and are browsable and searchable. The addition of new volumes continues.
• Government Resources on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/govweb.html
• Governments on the WWW http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/
• Government Information Sources http://www.nttc.edu/resources/government/govresources.asp
• The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/index.html
• U.S. Federal Agencies Directory http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html
• U.S. GPO Access http://www.gpoaccess.gov/databases.html 
• White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/

State and Local Governments:

• Florida Government http://www.myflorida.com/
• Florida Legal Resources http://www.law.ufl.edu/lic/links/florida/  and  Florida Research Guides  http://www.law.ufl.edu/lic/guides/
• Government in the Sunshine Manual http://myfloridalegal.com/sunshine: Answers questions concerning Florida's Sunshine Laws
• National Association of State Information Resource Executives http://www.nascio.org/

International:

• Electronic Embassy http://www.embassy.org/: Information on embassies in Washington, D.C., with additional links to other sites
• EUROPARL: The European Parliament On-Line  http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/default_en.htm
• Foreign Affairs Online http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjb3v/rjb.html: An organized collection of several thousand links to important sites for the study of international relations
• International Data Base   http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbnew.html
• North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) http://www.nato.int/
• UN/ECE - STATISTICS  http://www.unece.org/stats/links.htm
• United Nations http://www.un.org/
• Women in Politics http://www.ipu.org/iss-e/women.htm
• WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources http://www.etown.edu/vl/: A meta-index organized by Type (area studies, country information, news, statistical information), Source (international organizations, primary sources, schools, think tanks), and Topic (conflict resolution, development, foreign policy, human rights, and peacekeeping)
• YaleGlobal Online http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/index.jsp: A publication of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization

Organizations:

• Conflict Resolution & Mediation: Organizations and Resources http://www.georgetown.edu/departments/pjp/conresorgs.html
• Defend America: U.S. military site offering current news on the war on terrorism http://www.defendamerica.mil/
• Moving Ideas: Academy of Political Science http://www.movingideas.org/
• American Political Science Association http://apsanet.org/
• Brookings Institution http://www.brook.edu/
• International Political Science Association http://www.ipsa.ca/

Statistics:

• Budget of the United States  http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/
• Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/
• EuroStat http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/eurostat/eurostat.html
• Fedstats http://www.fedstats.gov/
• InfoNation http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/infonation/e_infonation.htm
• Whitehouse News http://www.whitehouse.gov/news

Political Science Data on the Internet:

• Candidate Countries Eurobarometer (CCEB) - http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/cceb_en.htm - Survey of countries applying for membership in the EU beginning in 2001. It replaces the Central and Eastern Eurobarometer (CEEB). The qualitative studies provide an in-depth study of the motivations, the feelings and the reactions of selected social groups towards a given subject or concept.
• Central and Eastern Eurobarometer (CEEB) - http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ceeb_en.htm - An annual general public survey carried out from 1990 to 1998 in the central and eastern European countries. Several qualitative studies have been produced using the data.
• Cold War International History Project http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1409&fuseaction=topics.home
• Core Documents of U. S. Democracy http://www.gpoaccess.gov/coredocs.html - This valuable and extensive site provides access to the full-text of essential, primary documents related to American democracy. Documents provided include the Bill of Rights, Articles of Confederation, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address, Constitution, and inaugural addresses of all of the U.S. presidents.
• European Values Studies (EVS) http://www.jdsurvey.net/web/evs1.htm - Raw and analyzed data from several surveys from 1980 to 2004 in four broad domains: religion and morality, politics, work and leisure, primary relations.
• Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social Research. (ICPSR) http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/ - The ICPSR maintains and provides access to a vast archive of over 45,000 social science-related surveys, studies, and datasets for research and instruction. The website allows searching of the abstracts in the database, but downloading is required to view the extensive files of raw data. Topics covered in the ICPSR include history, political science, criminal justice, education, social work, public health and medical care, law, sociology, demography, foreign policy, and economics.
• Population Reference Bureau (PRB) http://www.prb.org/ - Directory of population data files
• Standard Eurobarometer - http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/standard_en.htm - The standard Eurobarometer was established in 1973. Each survey consists of approximately 1000 face-to-face interviews per Member State (except Germany: 2000, Luxembourg: 600, United Kingdom 1300 including 300 in Northern Ireland). Reports are published twice yearly.

Political Science Metalists:

• Academic Info: Political Science http://www.academicinfo.net/polisci.html
• Alphabetical List of News and Political Links http://www.nycat.org/links.htm
• Law and Politics: Internet Guide http://www.lpig.org/
• National Political Index http://www.politicalindex.com/index.htm
• Political Database of the Americas http://www.georgetown.edu/pdba/english.html
• Political Resources on the Net http://www.politicalresources.net/
• Political Science - Trinity http://www.Trinity.Edu/~mkearl/polisci.html
• Political Science Resources http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/
• Poly-Cy http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/PolyCy
• United States Government Offical Portal http://www.usa.gov/
• U.S.I.P. - Jeannette Rankin Library http://www.usip.org/library/pa.html

Maintained by: Shari johnson , Business and Government Reference Librarian
University of West Florida Libraries

Date Last Updated: October 2007