You can often find statistics, charts, and tables in news articles. Click on this link to view a page with suggestions for finding news articles, including articles that cannot be accessed without the Libraries' subscriptions.
This online reference book provides detailed information on the major aspects of each country's government and political party system. International organizations, from the African Union to the World Trade Organization, are profiled as well. Updated yearly, this is a good source for background information on current events, elections, political history, and more.
- Political and economic information on countries, territories, and international organizations.
- Statistical data and directories
Research Tips
When looking at a dataset or a statistic, ask yourself the following questions:
- How was the data collected? (Who collected this data?) - What's in there to learn? (What are the variables? What do they mean?) - How reliable is the information?
Librarians can help you find data, choose which databases to search, use search terms and tools and identify what kinds of sources you might like to consult. Librarians can also help with citations and avoiding plagarism.
Make an appointment with Sarah Elichko, the librarian for this class (and Political Science in general) by emailing selichk1@swat or stopping by the Research & Info Desk in McCabe (Mondays and Thursdays from 3-5, Wednesdays from 1-3).
Be aware of the political leanings of the authors whose work you are reading, especially when reading policy papers and other "grey" literature.
Not all news sources can be found through Google. Take a look at some of the news resources offered by the Tri-Co Libraries.
