Research Guides: POLS 315: Public Policymaking and Analysis (HC) [Spring 2013]: Choosing an Issue

Choosing an Issue

The following sources may help you identify a policy issue of current interest and begin to get a sense of the public debate surrounding it. Make note of specific events and legislation, key legislators and other interested parties (think tanks, advocacy groups, etc.), as well as such important publications as major studies, reports and position papers.

Annual Review of Political Science
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Covers significant developments in the field of Political Science including political theory and philosophy, international relations, political economy, political behavior, American and comparative politics, public administration and policy, and methodology.

Congressional Quarterly (CQ) Researcher
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CQ Researcher is a good place to begin research on current policy topics. This ongoing publication covers specific political and policy issues with complete summaries, insight into all sides of the issues, bibliographies and more. See also the companion online publication, CQ Global Researcher, for a global approach to issues.
Congressional Quarterly (CQ) Magazine
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CQ Weekly provides current, comprehensive, and non-partisan legislative news and analysis. The web archive includes access to the full text of all articles published since 1983. For a broader overview, see CQ Almanac Plus which summarizes issues on a yearly basis.

National Center for Policy Analysis
NCPA is a conservative think tank which presents private alternatives to current policy issues. Includes much material on health care.
National Journal
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This weekly journal covers the activities of Congress and the executive branch concerning all areas of U.S. foreign and domestic policy. The web site also includes directories, reports, poll information, and other features.

PolicyFile
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Provides access to articles on public policy research and analysis from think tanks, university research programs, research organizations and publishers. Covers a wide range of topics from international trade to health care reform, from telecommunications regulation to terrorism. Most content is NOT peer-reviewed.

Public Agenda Online
Public Agenda is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public opinion research and citizen education organization helping leaders better understand the public's point of view on major policy issues and helping citizens better understand critical policy issues. In addition to information about Public Agenda publications, the website provides guides to specific policy issues which give an overview of the issue and the public debate surrounding it.