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Political Science

The following is a selective list of resources for starting research in Political Science. For further assistance, ask at the Reference Desk or contact Ted Smith, political science subject specialist.

Starting Your Research

These reference sources can help you identify a topic for your research, provide an overview of a specific issue or topic, and suggest other materials which might be useful for your research.

  • American Political Scientists: A Dictionary; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61 .A525 2002
    Provides biographical sketches of major political scientists along with summaries of their research and major theories.
  • The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: a User's Guide to Its Terms; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61 .B43 1999
    Provides definitions of key terms in the field.
  • The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Institutions; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61.B56 1987
    A single volume reference containing brief entries on the key concepts and individuals relating to political and governmental institutions.
  • The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61.B57 1987
    A single volume reference containing brief entries on important theories, concepts and individuals in political thought.
  • The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics ; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA 61 .C665 2003
    Definitions of terms used in the field.
  • Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections (2 vol.); KNIGHT REFERENCE JK1967 .C662 2001
    Encyclopedic and comprehensive guide with entries on major persons, events and themes in the history of elections in the United States.
  • Directory of Political Science Faculty KNIGHT REFERENCE JA86.D57
    (current issue in Reference)
  • Encyclopedia Britannica
    Concise, frequently scholarly, articles on many topics relating to political science.
  • Encyclopedia of American Public Policy; KNIGHT REFERENCE JK 468.P 64 J33 1999
    Provides brief overviews/summaries of key concepts concerning the history of government in the U.S.
  • The Encyclopedia of Democracy; KNIGHT REFERENCE JC423 .E53 1995
    A four volume set providing in-depth scholarly articles on the history and current status of democratic institutions and ideals. Includes articles on key individuals, concepts and institutions.
  • The Encyclopedia of Politics: the Left and the Right ; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61 .E54 2005
    Two volume set that contains over 450 articles on individuals, movements, political parties, and ideological principles associated with both the "left" and "right" sides of the political spectrum.
  • A Glossary of Political Theory; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA65 .H64 2007
    Guide to terminology used in the field of political theory.
  • The Greenwood Encyclopedia of International Relations (4 vol.); KNIGHT REFERENCE JZ 1160.N65 2002
    Well-annotated entries on the major persons, groups and events in diplomatic history.
  • Legal Systems of the World : a Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia; KNIGHT REFERENCE K48 .L44 2002
    A four volume set with entries for individual countries and sub-state entities (regions, provinces, U.S. states, etc.), as well as major legal concepts. Geographic entries show the history of the legal system, its current structure, and relationships to other systems.
  • The Macmillan Dictionary of Political Quotations; KNIGHT REFERENCE PN6084.P6 E54 1993
    A compendium of famous quotes on politics and political science.
  • The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA61 .O95 2001
    A comprehensive guide to international relations and domestic politics throughout the world. Contains over 600 articles on major concept and themes in modern politics. Most articles run one page or less, but approximately 30 longer feature articles ("Critical Issues" and "Interpretive Essays") cover selected topics in more depth.

In addition, the following guides discuss the process and methodology of doing research in the field of political science, and may be worth consulting to get ideas as to how to approach your topic.

  • Doing Research in Political Science 2nd Ed. / Paul Pennings, et.al. 2006
    KNIGHT JA71 .P395 2006
  • Research Methods for Political Science : Quantitative and Qualitative Methods / David E. McNabb. 2004
    KNIGHT JA71.5 .M35 2004
  • Political Research : an Introduction / Lisa Harrison. 2001.
    KNIGHT JA86 .H35 2001
  • Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science / Stephen Van Evera
    KNIGHT JA71 .V3 1997
  • Political Science Research Methods / Janet Buttolph Johnson. 3rd Ed., 1995.
    DOC-LC JA73 .J64 1995
  • Political Science : Illustrated Search Strategy and Sources : with an Introduction to Legal Research for Undergraduates / by Roger C. Lowery, Sue A. Cody. 1993
    REFERENCE JA88 .L69 1993
  • Information-finding and the Research Process : a Guide to Sources and Methods for Public Administration and the Policy Sciences /Antony E. Simpson. 1993
    REFERENCE JF1351 .S55 1993

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Finding Articles

To look for articles in academic journals or magazines, start with a periodical index. An index will allow you to find articles by subject, by a few keywords which describe your topic, or by author.

After identifying articles which look useful for your research, look up the title of the journal or magazine (e.g. Political Studies) in the UO Library Catalog to determine if the Library subscribes to it. Note the location and call number. We also provide a guide to the most influential political science journals showing the access available through the UO Libraries.

  • International Political Science Abstracts; KNIGHT REFERENCE JA36.I5 Provides citations and non-evaluative abstracts to articles in approximately 600 periodicals. The library has from 1951 to present.
  • The Left Index.off-campus access limited to UO
    Provides access to the diversity of literature on the left. Topics covered include politics, economics, the labor movement, ecology and environment, women's studies, race and ethnicity, social and cultural theory, sociology, art and aesthetics, philosophy, history, education, law, and globalization. Electronic coverage is available from 1990 to the present. A print index (Z7164.S67 L34, Knight Reference) covers 1982 to 1999.
  • PAIS International (Public Affairs Information Service).off-campus access limited to UO
    This database consists of articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about public affairs. Covers over 2,000 periodicals from 1977 to present. Also includes access to the PAIS Archive, containing over 850,000 records covering the years 1937-1976.
  • Web of Science off-campus access limited to UO
    Includes the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) from 1975 to the present. The database can be searched to look for words in article titles, by author, and to look for cited references.
  • Worldwide Political Science Abstracts. off-campus access limited to UO
    Provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration / policy. Coverage is from 1975 to the present, with monthly updates.
  • Indexes and Databases by Subject
    Select "General and Interdisciplinary Databases" or "Political Science" for options to find articles in both political science journals and general interest periodicals.

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Finding Books & Dissertations

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Web Resources

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Maintained by Ted D. Smith, tedsmith@uoregon.edu