Research Guides: Political Science: Library Resources

Find Library Resources

Type keywords in the Library Search box below to search most of the SKYCTC, KCTCS, and KYVL databases to find articles, books, and other resources.

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Find Background Information

Why is background information important?

Provides an overview of an unfamiliar topic.
Give you basic information about a topic like definitions & summaries.
Helps you broaden or narrow your search.

Reference materials, such as encyclopedias and dictionaries, are great sources of background information.

Britannica Online: Academic Edition This link opens in a new window
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Includes Encyclopædia Britannica plus Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary and Thesaurus, magazines, periodicals, e-books, news, multimedia, an interactive world atlas, and more.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference is an e-reference database. With hundreds of digital reference titles from over 100 publishers, this database offers a user-friendly interface to access curated, authoritative reference sources, providing users with a firm foundation for understanding a topic. Credo helps users gather background information, find key terms and concepts, and even connect to e-journals in the library databases to access more specialized information and peer-reviewed articles.
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eBooks from Master Academic eBook Collection (Infobase) This link opens in a new window
With more than 2,500 core reference works from the Facts On File, Ferguson’s, and Bloom’s imprints. Coverage includes a wide range of academic subject areas—from literature and language reference, to world history, religion, and philosophy. Also includes Literary Classics eBook collection and Sacred Text eBook collection.

Library Databases

See below for library databases to access scholarly articles:

Academic OneFile (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Full text academic articles in physical sciences, technology, medicine, social sciences, the arts, theology, literature and other subjects. Includes full-text coverage of the New York Times back to 1995. Updated daily.
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Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
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This multi-disciplinary database provides full text for almost ten thousand journals, most of which are peer-reviewed titles.
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Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window
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Opposing Viewpoints in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. Featuring continuously updated viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
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EBSCOhost Databases This link opens in a new window
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Comprises most of our EBSCOhost collection for e-journal articles both scholarly and non-peer reviewed, newspapers articles, eBooks, and more.
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provided by KYVL

See below for top scholarly journals in our databases:

American Political Science Review
A scholarly research journal, providing peer-reviewed articles and essays on American political science, published since 1906. Includes articles covering political theory, American politics, public policy, public administration, comparative politics, and international relations.
Journal of Politics
Articles, research notes and book reviews in all areas of politics. Published quarterly with full-text available 12-months after publication.
Political Behavior
Provides a forum for the interdisciplinary study of groups and individuals as they interact in and with the political process. Full-text availability 12-months after publication.
Political Studies
Articles, research notes, short notes and comments for an international audience on the discipline of politics. Published quarterly.
Political Science & Politics
A trade journal that presents issues in political science for the professional audience. Provides critical analyses of contemporary political phenomena. Reports the research, teaching, and professional development of leading political scientists.
Political Science Quarterly
Published continuously since 1886, this widely read and accessible scholarly journal covers subject matter on government, politics, and public policy both on domestic and international issues. Published quarterly with full-text availability 12-months after publication.

News Resources

Washington Post This link opens in a new window
Covers local (Washington, D.C.), national, international news, 1983+.
Newsbank Access World News This link opens in a new window
Find current and archived articles on issues, events, people, government and more. Includes access to 78 Kentucky media publications and newspapers, including the Bowling Green Daily News, the Lexington Herald-Leader. The Suggested Topics feature on the homepage can help select topics for essays, speeches and current events research. Coverage from 1980 to current.
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Kentucky Newspaper Collection (Newsbank) This link opens in a new window
Includes access to 78 Kentucky media publications and newspapers, including the Bowling Green Daily News, the Lexington Herald-Leader. The Suggested Topics feature on the homepage can help select topics for essays, speeches and current events research. Coverage from 1989 to the present.
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Newspaper Source (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
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Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for dozens of U.S. & international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for hundreds of regional (U.S.) newspapers.
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Alt-PressWatch (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
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This ProQuest database provides full-text articles from hundreds of publications of the alternative and independent presses, from 1970 to current.
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World News Digest (Infobase) This link opens in a new window
World News Digest serves as an archival record of domestic and international news and covers all major political, social, and economic events since November 1940.

BBC News
News articles from the British Broadcasting Corporation.
NPR
NPR is an independent, nonprofit media organization that was founded on a mission to create a more informed public. Through its network of member stations, NPR makes local stories national, national stories local, and global stories personal.
WKYU-FM
The Public Radio Service of Western Kentucky University.
C-SPAN
C-SPAN is a public service created in 1979 by the American Cable Television Industry to provide live proceedings of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as well as other forums of public policy, elected or appointed officials, etc. free from editing, commentary or analysis in a balanced presentation.
The Hill
The Hill is on of the premier sources for policy and political coverage in Washington D.C.
Politico
A source on politics and policy in Washington, D.C. and across the globe.

Streaming Video

Academic Video Online (AVON) (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Delivers more than 62,000 titles on a range of subject areas from anthropology to business, counseling to health, and more. Includes content like documentaries, films, and demonstrations.

RBG by Julie Cohen, Betsy West (Directors & Producers)
Publication Date: 2018
At the age of 85, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior's rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans - until now. RBG is a revelatory documentary exploring Ginsburg 's exceptional life and career from Betsy West and Julie Cohen.

eBooks

Ebook Central (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
SKYCTC's ebooks from ProQuest. Includes 56,000+ ebooks from leading publishers including unique titles from Wiley, 130 university presses, and more. Collections cover subjects such as: biology, business management, computer science/IT, education, engineering & manufacturing, history, literature, nursing and other health-related fields, physical sciences, psychology, religious studies and sociology.
EBSCOhost eBook Collection This link opens in a new window
Electronic book collection, including fiction, nonfiction, and reference.
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eBooks from the University Press of Kentucky This link opens in a new window
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KYVL has partnered with the University Press of Kentucky to make more than 1,300 titles in the collection freely available to KYVL members. This collection includes topics ranging from architecture to business, education to law, Arts & Humanities and studies in Romance languages to social & behavioral sciences and STEM fields.

Introduction to Political Science: Websites

Associations in Political Science

American Political Science Association
The leading professional organization for the study of political science.
International Political Science Association
International Political Science Association (IPSA) was founded in Paris in 1949 under the aegis of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Its aim is to support the development of political science in all parts of the world.
UK Parliament
Official website for the government of the United Kingdom. The UK Parliament has two Houses that work on behalf of UK citizens to check and challenge the work of Government, make and shape effective laws, and debate/make decisions on the big issues of the day. Compare this site with the United States Federal institutions below.
CIA World Fact Book
History, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities

The Constitution & Federalism: Websites

National Archives: America's Founding Documents
See the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights from the National Archive.
The Interactive Constitution
Learn about the text, history, and meaning of the U.S. Constitution from leading scholars of diverse legal and philosophical perspectives.
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist, commonly referred to as the Federalist Papers, is a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison between October 1787 and May 1788. The Federalist Papers were written and published to urge New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution, which was drafted in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. In lobbying for adoption of the Constitution over the existing Articles of Confederation, the essays explain particular provisions of the Constitution in detail. The Federalist Papers are often used today to help interpret the intentions of those drafting the Constitution.

See Supreme Court resources under Federal Institutions below for more information about the Constitution and Federalism.

Civil Liberties & Civil Rights: Websites

Civil Liberties

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that is the leading defender of civil liberties in the United States.
U.S. Department of Justice Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties
The Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties (OPCL) supports the Department’s Chief Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer (CPCLO). OPCL has two general functions: (1) it plays a central policy-making role in the Department’s development and evaluation of legislative, regulatory, and other policy proposals affecting privacy, both domestically and internationally; and (2) it is responsible for helping to ensure the compliance of the Department’s components with existing laws, regulations and policies protecting privacy.

Civil Rights

NAACP
Leading American organization created in 1909 for the abolition of segregation and discrimination in housing, education, employment, voting, and transportation, and to ensure the constitutional rights of African-Americans. They continue today in the campaign for civil rights and social justice through grassroots activism, advocacy, organizing, and ligitation.
National Organization for Women (NOW)
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. Founded in 1966, they take action through grassroots activism, electoral campaigning, and lobbying to protect the rights of women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life.
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 1,000 LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups. Advocates in policy areas such as civic participation, civil rights, immigration, the environment, and more.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice | AAJC) advocates for the civil and human rights for Asian Americans and promoting a fair and equitable society for all.
National Congress of American Indians
The National Congress of American Indians, founded in 1944, is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities.
National Council on Disability
NCD is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. A sample of issues include civil rights, employment, health care, housing, and transportation issues. NCD helped advocate for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Lambda Legal
Founded in 1973, Lambda Legal is the oldest and largest national legal organization whose mission is to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
U.S. Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all persons in the United States, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, religion, familial status, national origin, and citizenship status.

Interest Groups: Websites

Open Secrets: Lobbying Primer
Lists a variety of interest groups, industries, and other organizations and their relationship to the federal government
Vote Smart: National Special Interest Groups
List of organizations and the issues they work with both federally and state-level. Search by issue, find a description of the organization, their political endorsements, and a link to their website.
U.S. House of Representatives Lobbying Disclosure
The Office of the Clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives publishes a list of lobbyists and their contributions to elected politicians.
United States Senate Public Disclosure
The Senate Office of Public Records (OPR) receives, processes, and maintains for public inspection records, reports, and other documents filed that involve lobbying efforts.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The largest business interest group in the United States.
AFL-CIO
The Amrican Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is one of the largest labor and union interest groups in the United States.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Public Interest Groups
A list of interest groups that focus on promoting what they consider to be the public good, as opposed to representing an economic interest.

Political Parties: Websites

Democratic Party
Website for the Democratic National Committee. See Where We Stand to access the party platform
Republican Party (GOP)
Website for the Republican National Committe. Under Menu, select About Our Party to look at the Republican Party Platform.
Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party website. Select "Libertarian Party" from the Menu and "The Issues" to view the party platform.
Green Party US
Green Party website, see Platform and About sections to view the platform and stances on political issues.
Constitution Party
Website for the Constitution Party. Select "Principles" to view their stance on the issues and the party platform
Party for Socialism and Liberation
Website for the Party for Socialism and Liberation. See "Our Party" to view their stance on political issues.

Public Opinion & Voting: Websites

Gallup
One of the main polling organizations of public opinion in the United States, especially for electoral data.
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world through public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis, and other data-driven social science research.
PollingReport.com
An up-to-date collection of opinion polls on a variety of topics in American politics.
Rasmussen Reports
Rasmussen Reports is a nonpartisan electronic media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion polling information.Their work is followed by millions on a wide variety of media platforms.

Campaigns & Elections: Websites

Federal Election Commission
The FEC was created to promote confidence and participation in the democratic process. Read more about the FEC’s history, purpose and goals.
270toWin
270toWin is a nonpartisan site that aggregates polls and professional election projections, includes news resources and interactive maps to allow users to project presidential, congressional, and state elections.
Open Secrets
OpenSecrets is the nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.
Vote Smart
Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to ALL Americans. Includes candidates bio, voting history, policy positions, ratings, speeches, and funding.

Media & Politics: Websites

Freedom of the Press Foundation
Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) is a non-profit organization that protects, defends, and empowers public-interest journalism in the 21st century.
The organization works to preserve and strengthen First and Fourth Amendment rights guaranteed to the press through a variety of avenues, including the development of encryption tools, documentation of attacks on the press, training newsrooms on digital security practices, and advocating for the public’s right to know.
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) defends the right of every human being to have access to free and reliable information. Their mission is to act for the freedom, pluralism and independence of journalism. Check out their Press Freedom Index to see the state of journalism in the U.S. and world.
FactCheck.Org
A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. Monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
PolitiFact
Launched in 2007 and now owned by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, PolitiFact focuses on fact-checking journalism. Verifies statements from transcripts, speeches, news stories, press releases, and campaign brochures as well as reader-suggestions. Focuses on the primary source and original documentation of each statement before gauging the level of accuracy.
Snopes
Snopes.com is an independent publication that has become one of the internet’s definitive fact-checking resources.

Federal Institutions - Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy, Judiciary: Websites

Congress - The Legislative Branch

United States House of Representatives
The official website to the U.S. House of Representatives and its activities.
United States Senate
The official website of the U.S. Senate and its activities.
Congress.gov
The official website for U.S. federal legislative information. The site provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public.

Presidency - The Executive Branch

The White House
The official website for the White House and current presidential administration

The Federal Bureaucracy - departments and agencies of the Federal government under the presidency

USA.gov
As the U.S. government's official web portal, USA.gov makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web.
Official US Executive Branch Web Sites
This page contains Executive Branch sites only. For more detail, see the United States Government Manual. For more government sites, select the link and see linked: Legislative, Judicial or Government Resources in general.
GovInfo
GovInfo is free U.S. Government information for all. It is a service of the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. Includes trending legislation and government action, the budget of the U.S. Government, and a portal to government documents.

The Judiciary, or Judicial Branch

Supreme Court of the United States
Official website of the U.S. Supreme Court, about its organization, justices, and a list of its docket and cases.
United States Courts
Covers the purpose, cases, and documents in the U.S. Federal judicial system.
Oyez
Free law project from Cornell's Legal Information Institute (LII), Justia, and Chicago=Kent College of Law. Devoted to making the Supreme Court accessible to all it includes audio of case hearings, case summaries, illustrated decision information, and full-text Supreme Court opinions.

Off Campus?

Use your KCTCS email ID and password to access databases off campus.

If you are unable to login, try using Kentucky Virtual Library.

Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL) Databases
Many of our databases are accessible using KYVL. SKYCTC students and employees can request the username and password for KYVL databases, which is different than your KCTCS login. To request the KYVL username and password, use the following link: https://password.kyvl.org/PasswordRequest.aspx, or contact the SKYCTC Help Desk (270-901-1171).

Still having trouble?

Off Campus Access Guide
Use your SKYCTC username and password to access most library databases off campus. Visit our Off Campus Access guide for more help or call the Library Help Desk at (270) 901-1171.

Political Science

Librarian / Associate Professor

On Reserve in L 113