Introduction | Reference Sources | Indexes & Databases | Internet Resources | Citation Styles

For further research assistance, please contact Bill Grubb (bgrubb@usm.maine.edu; 780-4672), Political Science Liaison, Glickman Library, University of Southern Maine.

In order to find books, journal titles, videos, government documents and other materials held in the University of Maine System consult URSUS, the online catalog. Because journal article citations are not individually included in URSUS use a discipline-specific index to find this information (see Resources by Subject). To find materials located elsewhere in Maine, check Maine Info Net.

The following is a listing of selected subject headings relating to Political Science. Each subject heading is hot linked directly to URSUS.

To obtain materials not located at your USM campus, but located using URSUS, click on the Request button on the URSUS screen and enter your name and barcode number (found under the barcode on your USM Card, always beginning with 25022....). Your barcode will first need to be activated at the Circulation Desk.

For more information see the Services for Faculty or Services for Students pages.

To find books, journal titles, videos, government documents and other materials not available through the University of Maine System or Maine Info Net, please check WorldCat, which includes bibliographic records for more than 36 million items held at OCLC member libraries throughout the world and is updated daily.

If the item is not available through the University of Maine System (URSUS) or Maine Info Net you can request it via Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad)

The Library of Congress provides a breakdown of the call number classification scheme. To find a listing of political science call numbers click on any of the subcategories to see more detail.

Reference sources are useful tools to obtain background information and to develop a vocabulary of possible search terms. The following items are print resources available within the University of Southern Maine system.

General Resources | Dictionaries | Encyclopedias | Statistics | Biographical Resources |

General Resources

Almanac of American Politics
POR Reference JK1012 .A44 2004
Arranged alphabetically by state and includes description of the political situation, election results, and profiles of governor and members of Congress for that state. Earlier editions are located in the Portland Stacks under the call number JK1012. A44 (1976-1994).

American Decades
POR Reference E169.12 .A419 1997
Covers events from 1900-1999. Each decade volume includes a chapter on government and politics.

Book of the States
POR/GOR/LEW Reference JK2403 B6 2002
Comparative information on budgets, taxes, education, health and welfare. Earlier editions are located in the Portland Stacks under the call number JK2403 B6 (1982-2002).

Congressional Quarterly Almanac
POR Reference JK1 .C66 (1952-current)
GOR Reference JK1 .C66 1964-1995
"Compendium of legislation for each session of Congress."

Congressional Quarterly Researcher
POR Reference H35 .C67 (1982-current)
Tracks current issues. Previous title Editorial Research Reports (1982-1990).

Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report
POR Reference JK1 .C15 2003-current
Provides commentary on major political events and is an excellent source to track elections.

Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U. S. Elections
POR Reference JK1967 .C662 2001
POR Stacks JK1967 .C662 1994
Provides in-depth coverage and election statistics.

Congressional Quarterly's Guide to the Presidency
POR Reference JK516 .C57 1996
Provides in-depth look at presidency including history, duties, powers, and life. An earlier edition is located in the POR stacks under call number JK516 .C57 1989.

Congressional Quarterly's Politics in America
POR Reference JK1010 .P64 2004
Contains profiles of Congress and contact information as well as district data and key votes. Earlier editions are located in the POR stacks under call number JK1010 .P64 (1990-2002).

The Facts on File World Political Almanac: From 1945 to the Present
POR Reference D843 .C5798 2001
The facts and figures concerning governments and leaders, political parties and constitutions, wars and treaties.

Information Sources of Political Science, 5th edition
POR Reference JA71 .I543 2005
This annotated bibliography is arranged by broad subject areas.

International Government Information and Country Information: A Subject Guide
POR Reference ZA5050 .M67 2004
Chapters are arranged by subject and include descriptions of relevant Internet sites and reference sources.

Local and Regional Government Information: How to Find it, How to Use It
POR Reference Z1223.5 .A1L63 2005

A Strategic Atlas: Comparative Geopolitics of the World's Powers
POR Reference G1046 F1 C513 (1992)
Provides a visual representation of the relation between force and politics through 1983.

Tapping State Government Information Sources
POR Reference Z1223.5 .A1T36 2003

World Atlas of Elections
POR Reference G1046.F9 L46(1986)
Charts, maps, and graphs by country through 1985.

Dictionaries

Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: a User's Guide to its Terms
POR Reference JA61 .B43
About 1000 terms are defined and cross referenced. Includes brief biographies of scholars in the field.

Dictionary of American Diplomatic History
POR Reference E183.7 .F5 (1980)

Dictionary of European History and Politics Since 1945
POR Reference D1051 .U78 1996

Encyclopedias

Elections A to Z
POR Reference JK1976 .M57 2003

The Presidency A to Z
POR Reference JK511 .P775 2003

Encyclopedia of American Political History
POR/LEW Reference E183 .E48 2004

Encyclopedia of American Political Reform
POR Reference E839.5 .C57 1996
Histories and analyses.

Encyclopedia of American Public Policy
POR Reference JK 468.P64 J33
People, legislation, and policy milestones

Encyclopedia of the Democratic/Republican Parties
POR Reference JK2352 .K87 1997

Encyclopedia of Third Parties in America
POR Reference JK2261 .N46 2000

Encyclopedia of US Foreign Relations
POR Reference E183.7 .E53 1997
More than 1000 articles with in-depth coverage given to major topics.

Europa World Yearbook
POR Reference JN1 .E85 current year
Arranged alphabetically by country, it includes an in-depth introductory survey that discusses history, government, and economics of that country. Each country entry also has information on the president and legislature, diplomatic representation, and press and broadcasting services. Previous editions are available in the Portland stacks (1990-previous year) under the call number JN1 .E85.

World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties
POR Reference JF2011 .W67 1999
Comparative information by individual country.

Political Handbook of the World
POR Reference JF37 P6 2000-2002
Organized by country, sections include government and politics, political parties and groups, legislatures, cabinets, and news media. Previous editions are available in the Portland stacks (1990-previous year) under the call number JF37 P6.

Statistics

America Votes (1952-current)
POR Reference JK 1967 A8
A standard source of information on US election results.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
Includes area election and state, local and federal government statistical data.

A Statistical History of the American Electorate
POR Reference JK1967 .R87 2001

Vital Statistics on American Politics
POR Reference JK274 .S74
Provides current and historical statistics.

Biographical Resources

Hutchinson encyclopedia of modern political biography
POR Reference D412.6 .H88 1999

Who's Who In America
POR Reference E176 .W642 2006

Who's Who in American Politics
POR Reference E176 .W6424 2005-2006

Because of the lengthy publishing cycle for a book, information in a book is not always current. Periodical articles are current sources of information. There are two main types of periodicals: scholarly and popular. Scholarly periodicals are usually referred to as journals. Articles in journals contain reports of primary research; the articles are written by experts in the field and for other researchers/scholars; use terms and language specific to that discipline; may include graphs, charts, etc. related to the topic; most often are peer reviewed via an editorial board; are published by professional organization or society, university, research centers, scholarly presses; and often include a bibliography. Popular periodical articles contain general information; are written using easily understood language that appeals to a varied audience; are usually written by journalists or others who are not experts in the field; do not include citations; has a limited or non-existent editorial review board; and may contain glossy photographs. The Finding Articles tutorial provides more information on how to find articles.

To find scholarly articles it is necessary to consult a discipline-specific electronic or print index/database. The following are electronic and print indexing sources available to the University of Southern Maine community.

General Resources | State of Maine Resources

General Resources

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
Date coverage: 1975-present
This database supplies citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law and public administration/policy.

America: History and Life
Date coverage: 1964-present
Index to research on the history of the United States and Canada, from prehistoric times to the present. Includes references to journal articles, books and book reviews, dissertations, and collective works. For non-U. S. history see Historical Abstracts.

Archive of European Integration
Includes materials on the topic of European integration and unification.

The Avalon Project at the Yale Law School
Date coverage: pre-18th century-present
Contains digital documents relevant to the fields of law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy and government.

Congressional Bills
Date coverage: 103rd Congress (1993-1994)-present
All published versions of bills from the 103rd (1993-1994) Congress forward.

CQ Researcher
Date coverage: 1991-present
Explores a single hot issue in the news in depth each week. Topics range from social and teen issues to environment, health, education and science and technology. There are 44 reports produced each year including four expanded reports.

CSA Political Science and Government
POR Reference Z7161 .A214 (2001-current)
Provides indexed citations to articles published in the international academic literature. Check the subject index to find corresponding citation numbers. Earlier issues are available in the POR Reference Serials under the title ABC Pol Sci: Advance Bibliography of Contents: Political Science and Government (1984-2000) with the call number of POR Reference Z7161 .A214.

Current Index to Legal Periodicals
Current awareness service for legal research. Provides subject indexing and tables of contents for law journals.

Directory of Open Access Journals
Provides full-text articles from over 1145 free peer-reviewed journals covering all scholarly and scientific subjects. Over 310 journals can be searched by article title. Most articles are in English. Law and Political Science are a major grouping.

EconLit
Date coverage: 1969-present
Subject indexing and abstracts of journals, books, dissertations, and working papers.

HeinOnline
Date coverage: dates vary be resource
Full text online access to legal journals.

IngentaConnect
Date coverage: 1988-present
Indexes 17,000 English-language periodicals. Updated daily.

New York Times Article Archive
Date coverage: 1851-present
Provides indexing for the New York Times from 1851 to the present. Related resources: online full text and indexing of the New York Times is available through the database ProQuest Newspapers for 1999 to present; The New York Times Index (POR Reference AI21.N44) covers 1851 to 1988.

PAIS International
Date coverage: 1972-present
Citations for articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, and book chapters. The print index is available in the POR Reference collection at call number POR Reference Z7163 .P9 (1915-1990).

Proquest Newspapers
Date coverage: Varies according to source
Full text of more than 500 U.S. and international news sources. Includes the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and the Times of London, plus hundreds of other news sources and news wires.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
Date coverage: 1861-present; abstracts 1980-present; thesis abstracts 1988-present
Source for current research and trends.

Statistical Universe
Searchable index to more than 100,000 United States government and privately published statistical sources. Also includes searchable, full-text access to the Statistical Abstract of the United States.

State of Maine Resources

Directory of Bills
Date coverage: 119th Legislature-present
Maine Legislature Legislative Documents (L.D.).

Maine News Index Online
Created by the Portland Public Library, the Maine News Index Online is a database of Maine newspaper and magazine citations and abstracts. The library's Portland Room, which houses special collections, maintains a web page listing titles indexed at http://www.portlandlibrary.com/locations/portlandroom.htm#newsindex.

Maine Newsstand
Index to and full text coverage of four Maine newspapers. Database includes comprehensive coverage of the Bangor Daily News (12/3/92-present) and the Portland Press Herald (10/30/95-present). Selected business coverage of the Central Maine Morning Sentinel (8/12/93-8/27/97) and Maine Times (2/4/95-present).

Maine Revised Statutes
Maine Revised Statutes current to the [Session Number] Legislature

Maine Superior Court Decisions
Date coverage: 2000-present
Full text PDF documents received by the University of Maine School of Law Donald L. Garbrecht Law Library from the clerks of various courts dating from January 2000 through present. Decisions cross referenced by Plaintiff, Defendant, Judge and County. Includes citations and references.

There is no authority control for the Internet. In choosing Internet resources it is imperative to evaluate the authenticity of the source. Thinking Critically about Discipline-Based World Wide Web Resources (UCLA College Library) provides excellent evaluation criteria. The following selected resources have been chosen because of authenticity and comprehensiveness of coverage.

General Resources | Comparative/International Resources | Elections| Associations|

General Resources

Center for American Women and Politics
This Center is affiliated with the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and includes facts and findings regarding women in politics.

GPO Access
Produced by the U. S. Government Printing Office, this is an excellent source for government information including legislative, judicial and executive resources.

John F. Kennedy School of Government Working Papers (Harvard)
Searching is available by topic, year, or faculty member.

Political Science Resources on the Web
From the University of Michigan Documents Center.

State & Local Governments on the Net
Links to state governments, regional commissions, nongovernmental organizations.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
Includes area election and state, local and federal government statistical data.

ThisNation: The American Government and Politics Portal
Compiled by Political Scientist, Jonathon Mott, this award-winning site contains a library of documents and publications, glossary, news sources, and a search engine for the site.

Who's Who in the Federal Government
Biographies of Federal officials, judiciary, members of Congress past and present.

Working Paper Sites of Political Science
Provides links to the full-text of working papers on a variety of topics.

Comparative and International Resources

Canadian Institute of International Affairs
Of special interest is access to news, publications, and related links.

Europa (European Union)
Portal of the European Union.

Foreign Government Resource on the Web
Compiled by the University of Michigan.

Frequently Used Sites Related to U. S. Federal Government Information: Foreign Countries/Comparative Politics
Compiled by members of American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table, this guide provides access to Web sites related to publications, indexes and directories, agencies, research centers, statistics, elections, political parties, governments, etc.

Governments on the WWW
Contains links to governments and governmental bodies.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
This intergovernmental organization provides in-depth international information on political participation, electoral processes, political parties, and democracy building.

Social Science Information Gateway: Politics
Produced by the British Library of Political and Economic Science, this gateway contains links to databases, journals, books, data, educational materials, government publications, news, organizations, and papers. There are all links to other topics under the broad category of political science.

WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources
Provides access to more than 2,600 annotated links about international affairs, international relations, and international studies.

Elections

Frequently Used Sites Related to U. S. Federal Government Information: Elections
Compiled by members of American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table, this guide provides access to Web sites pertaining to U. S. elections.

International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES)-Democracy at Large
"As one of the world's premier democracy and governance assistance organizations, IFES provides targeted technical assistance to strengthen transitional democracies. Founded in 1987 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, IFES has developed and implemented comprehensive, collaborative democracy solutions in more than 120 countries." Of special interest on this site are links to other election sites and publications.

Liphart Elections Archive
"Housed at the University of California, San Diego campus, is a research collection of district level election results for approximately 350 national legislative elections in 26 countries."

Associations

American Political Science Association

International Political Science Association

In using resources it is imperative that they be used ethically and legally. The sources listed here provide assistance in following correct citation methods.

USM has a site license for EndNote, a personal reference database program. The main functions of this program include maintenance of a database of references, downloading references from other databases, using the database to link to references in word-processed document, and generating a bibliography in the correct style for publications. See the EndNote Help for further information.

Chicago Manual of Style
POR Reference Z253 .U69 2003

Chicago/Turabian Documentation (University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center)

Online! A Reference Guide Using Internet Resources

Created by: Judith Nagata
Created on: 09.29.2005
Last Updated: 01.28.2008