Research Guides: Political Science: Welcome

Introduction

This research guide lists the articles, databases, journals, and resources relevant to Political Science.

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Research Methods in Politics

Research Methods in Politics
this text is ideal for use on an introductory methods course or for readers carrying out their own research project. It presents: - an overview of the philosophy and principles of research - qualitative and quantitative research methods and research design - a critical review of selected methods - methods of gathering information, such as interviews and focus groups, and discusses issues associated with ensuring quality of information - appropriate methods for analysing and interpreting data, and covers the process of communicating research.

Key Resources in Political Science

Political Science Complete This link opens in a new window This database covers comparative politics, humanitarian issues, international relations, law and legislation, non-government organizations and political theory. It provides full text for more than 500 journals, and indexing and abstracts for over 2,900 titles. It also features over 340 full-text reference books and over 36,000 full-text conference papers, including those of the International Political Science Association.
PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service) This link opens in a new window This database indexes journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports on a wide range of topics related to public policy and political science. Use PAIS to find relevant articles in political topics such as climate change, globalization, gun control, violence.
SAGE Premier This link opens in a new window Sage Premier includes international, peer-reviewed journals, including high-impact research titles published on behalf of over 350 scholarly and professional societies. Access over 900 journals published by Sage in the areas of business, economics, management, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology from 1999. Access over 280 journals with content back to the first volume.
Taylor and Francis Social Science & Humanities This link opens in a new window Search and access journals published by Routledge and Taylor & Francis. The full text of journals of over 1,100 journals in the Social Science and Humanities Collection are available. Subjects covered include in the Economics, Finance, Business & Industry, Area Studies, Behavioural Sciences, Politics, International Relations, Sport and Leisure Management.

Definition

Political science is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of government and politics, broadly defined. Its concerns include the formal organization and operations of governments, the clash of power and values that is politics, and the processes of authoritative decision making and the administration of public policies. The discipline embraces both normative theories about the nature of justice, freedom, and good governance, and the empirical study of actual institutions and practices. At its most fundamental level political science can be said to be the study of power and the distribution of values in societies and among nations. In the famous words of Harold D. Lasswell, a founder of the modern discipline, political science is the study of “Who gets what, when, and how.”.

Excerpted from Pye, Lucian W. 2001. Political science. In: Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World (2nd ed.). Krieger, Joel (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Benedict Yeo

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