LibGuides: Political Science: Policy Research

Places to Start

CQ Researcher Online This link opens in a new window
This is a useful database if you have not settled on a topic yet, or have a general idea (criminal justice, climate, etc.) but need to focus in on a specific policy area.

CRS Reports (Congress.gov)
Reports from the Congressional Research Service (the public policy research arm of Congress).

Congressional Research Service Reports This link opens in a new window
This is the public policy research arm of Congress. Click "more" for the full description.
ProQuest U.S. Newsstream This link opens in a new window
US Newsstream includes newspaper articles from across the country.
ProQuest Political Science This link opens in a new window
Provides access to over 460 leading political science and international relations journals including the full-text of 430 core titles, many of which are indexed in Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. Coverage includes political science literature, and international relations includes topics such as comparative politics, political economy, international development, environmental policy, and hundreds of related topics.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
This huge, multi-subject database contains newspapers, scholarly journals, and more.

Think Tank Search (Harvard Kennedy School)
Think Tank Search searches the websites of institutions that generate public policy research, analysis, and activity. These sites are affiliated with universities, governments, advocacy groups, foundations, and non-governmental organizations.

Searching Government Websites

You can force the Google or Bing search engines to search through a particular website by typing "site:" followed by the website or domain. For example, adding "site:mass.gov" to your search will return results from the Massachusetts State Government Website.

Try the "site:" shortcut to locate information on news websites and organization websites as well.

Locating Court Cases, Statutes, and more

Use NexisUni to find cases, by selecting "Cases" and then choosing federal or state. You can search by keyword, case citation (if you have one), or the names of the parties involved (plaintiff or and defendant).

NexisUni This link opens in a new window
Database of news, business, and legal sources, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790.

Opinion Research

Pew Research Center
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A nonpartisan public opinion polling, demographics and media analysis organization. This large resource is broken into several project sites focusing on different aspects of journalism, media, and demographic trends.
Gallup, Inc.