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Political Science Research Guide

A guide to selected resources for the study of political science, including the Budget of the United States

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Susan Strickland (she/her)
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936-294-3128
strickland@shsu.edu

United States Government

General

Barone, Michael and Grant Ujifusa. THE ALMANAC OF AMERICAN POLITICS. Washington, D.C.: National Journal
JK271 .B343 [Most current in Reference, older on 4th floor]
Annual guide that profiles the governor and members of Congress for each state; provides biographical, ideological, and voting records information. Most current are in Reference. Earlier years are located on the 4th floor and have the same call number.

THE BOOK OF THE STATES. Lexington, KY: Council of State Governments.
JK2403 .B6 [Most current in Reference, older on 4th floor]
Reports on all aspects of state government functions: fiscal, social, political, and economic. Essay format with statistical tables; useful for comparative purposes. Most current are in Reference. Earlier years are located on the 4th floor and have the same call number.

Cogan, Brian. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF POLITICS, THE MEDIA, AND POPULAR CULTURE. Santa Barbara, Calif. : Greenwood Press.
P95.82 .U6C62 2009 [Reference. Also available as an e-book]
Information about various aspects of politics, treatment by the media, and popular culture is provided in alphabetical order.

Collins, P. H. DICTIONARY OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT. London: Bloomsbury
Available as e-book
Covering world politics, international relations, local and national government and the European Union.

THE CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF POLITICS. New York: Oxford University Press
JA61 .C665 2009 [Reference. Also available as an e-book]
Provides definitions of terms used in political science.

HATCHET JOBS AND HARDBALL: THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN POLITICAL SLANG. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2004.
PE3727 .P6H38 2004 [3rd floor]
Includes terms, historical and current, that are used by politicians, including those terms used almost exclusively in the Washington D.C. area.

Shafritz, Jay M. DICTIONARY OF PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 2004.
JA61 .F69 Reference.  Also an e-book
Provides definition of terms used in public administration and public policy.

Watts, Duncan.  DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
e-book
provides definitions of terms and concepts.

Congress

THE CQ RESEARCHER. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc.
H35 .E35 [Reference until 2009.  Available online as database.]
Provides fairly detailed reports on issues being discussed or debated in the Congress.

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY WEEKLY REPORT. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc.
JK1 .C15 [Available through 2011 in various formats.  Check the catalog]
For historical events, this provides information about actions, debates, and committee proceedings from the week prior to publication. Most current are located at Ready Reference. Older issues may be located on microfilm, microfiche, or bound. Check the Library’s catalog for specific dates.

Schraufnagel, Scot. HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF THE U.S. CONGRESS. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press
JK1021 .S37 2011 [Reference]
Provides definitions and context for terms and concepts related to the U.S. Congress.

Interest Groups, Political Action Groups, and Lobbying

Halpin, Darren. THE ORGANIZATION OF POLITICAL INTEREST GROUPS: DESIGNING ADVOCACY. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge
JF529 .H35 2014 [4th floor]
Discusses the function and organization of interest groups.

Hrebenar, Ronald J. LOBBYING IN AMERICA: A REFERRENCE HANDBOOK. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO
JK1118 .H849 2009  [Reference.  Also available as an e-book]
Provides discussion and description of lobbying and interest groups and their impact on politics, elections, and public policy.

Levine, Bertram J. THE ART OF LOBBYING: BUILDING TRUST AND SELLING POLICY. Washington D.C.: CQ Press.
JK1118 .L48 [4th floor]
Discusses aspects of lobbying.

LOBBYING AND POLICY CHANGE: WHO WINS, WHO LOSES, AND WHY. Chicago, IL.: University of Chicago Press.
JK118 .l577 [4th floor.  Also available as an e-book]
Discusses the effects of lobbying.

Political Parties

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. 1997. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference.
JK2352 .K87 1997 [Reference]
Contains information on issues, biographies of Democratic National Government leaders and losing presidential candidates, Democratic conventions, Democratic Party platforms, and elections 1828-1992.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. 1997. Armonk, NY: Sharpe Reference.
JK2352 .K87 1997 [Reference]
Contains information on issues, biographies of Republican National Government leaders and losing presidential candidates, Republican conventions, Republican Party platforms, and elections 1828-1992.

Sabato, Larry. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS. New York: Facts On File.
JK2261 .S218 2006 [Reference.  Also available as an e-book]
Provides detailed information about political parties and elections in the United States.

Elections

AMERICA VOTES!: A GUIDE TO MODERN ELECTION LAW AND VOTING RIGHTS. Chicago, IL.: American Bar Association.
KF4886 .A86 [4th floor]
Describes election law and voting rights.

Benenson, Bob. ELECTIONS A to Z. Washington D.C.: CQ Press.
JK1976 .M57 2012  [Reference.  Also an e-book.]
Entries provide information about various aspects of elections. It’s arranged in alphabetical order by topic.

DiClerico, Robert E. VOTING IN AMERICA: A REFERENCE HANDBOOK. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. 2004
JK1976 .D53 2004 [Reference.  Also available as an e-book]
Provides information about voting and the influences that act on voting behavior.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF U.S. CAMPAIGNS, ELECTIONS, AND ELECTORAL BEHAVIOR. Los Angeles: Sage.
JK2281 .E53 2008 [Reference]
Organized by topics related to campaigns, elections, and voter behavior in the United States.

VOTING IN AMERICA. Westport, Conn. : Praeger
JK1976 .V69 [4th floor]
Provides information about all aspects of voting.

Research

Baglione, Lisa A. WRITING A RESEARCH PAPER IN POLITICAL SCIENCE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO INQUIRY, STRUCTURE, AND METHODS. Belmont, CA: Thomson Higher Education.
JA86 .B34 [4th floor]
Provides information and instruction about writing in political science.

Dewberry, Chris. STATISTICAL METHODS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH. New York: Routledge.
JK1976 .V69 2008 [4th floor]
Discusses various methods for statistical research

Gerring, John. SOCIAL SCIENCE METHODOLOGY: A CRITICAL FRAMEWORK. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
H61 .G47 2001 [4th floor]
This book is an introduction to research methodology in the social sciences.

Johnson, Janet Buttolph. POLITICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODS. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
JA71 .J55 2001 [4th floor]
Discusses research methods and the use of research in political science.

PARADIGMS AND SAND CASTLES: THEORY BUILDING, AND RESEARCH DESIGN IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
JA86 .G35 2003 [4th floor.  Also available as an e-book]
Discusses the importance of careful research design in comparative politics.

QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN PRACTICE: READINGS FROM PS. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
JA71.5 .Q36 2006 [4th floor]
Contains articles related to research using quantitative methods.

THE SAGE HANDBOOK OF SOCIAL SCIENCE METHOD0LOGY. Los Angeles: SAGE.
H62 .S276 2007  [4th floor.  Also available as an e-book]
Provides information about research methodology in the social sciences.

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International and Comparative Politics

EUROPA WORLD YEAR BOOK. London: Europa Publications.
JN1 .E85

  • Provides current economic, geographic and political information about a large number of countries.

POLITICAL HANDBOOK OF THE WORLD. Binghamton, NY: Center for Comparative Political Research.
JF37 .P6

  • Contains entries about the politics of every county in the world. The most current is located in Reference. Older editions are available on the 4th floor and have the same call number.

THE STATESMAN’S YEAR-BOOK. London: Palgrave.
JA51 .S7 || Online Access

  • Includes comprehensive information about the current, political, economic and social status of every country in the world.

WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND PARTIES. New York: Facts On File.
JF2011 .W67 2006

  • Provides information about U.S. and world political parties.

 

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