“AMERICAN GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PROJECT PATHFINDER”

 

SEARCH STRATEGIES

  • Find either an introductory chapter of a book or an article from Britannica that provides a brief overview of your topic.

  • Make a list of appropriate search terms from the overview. Use this list to methodically search the indexes of reserve cart books and the electronic databases noted in this pathfinder. Example: topic = zero tolerance Additional search terms = columbine effect, school violence.

  • Be methodical in your searching. Search all topic-related books, then move on to search one electronic database at a time such as CQ Researcher or SIRS.

  • After printing an article or photocopying pages from a book, confirm that you have all the necessary bibliographic information written on page 1 of your document.

PRINT RESOURCES

Search the online catalog for books that are relevant to your topic. Remember you can request books to be delivered from St. Albans Lower and Upper School Libraries by filling out the appropriate information on the white sheet by the public online terminals.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

The following online databases may contain information about your topic.

BRITANNICA – When the search box appears, enter your search terms and set the button to search <Encyclopedia Britannica> first. Keep the same search terms and set the button to search <Britannica's Internet Guide>.

CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY – Click on <Logon> Select the CQ Researcher. Click on the word “Search” in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. Enter your search terms and view the results in the left column of the screen.

EBSCO'S HOST – EBSCO's Host is a periodicals database. Many of the articles are full-text. All of the articles provide an abstract so that you decide if you want to find the full-text when it is not available online.

Lexis Nexis – Click on News and then on the word General . In the keyword search box, type in relevant search terms. Example < global warming >. By the words Publication Title , you can also type in New York Times or Washington Post if you wish the database to only search for either of these respective newspapers.

SIRS – Excellent full-text database that is useful for almost every topic.

Eagle Eyes - In the keyword search box, type in the words <social issues> to retrieve the following Internet sites:
Public Agenda Online – Where appropriate, click on the issues listed on the left of the screen.
Policy.Com Issues Library – In the left-hand column, click on the words <Issues Library>. Click on the general subject category that most closely matches your topic.
SIRS Knowledge Resource – Under < Spotlight of the Month >, Click on SociaI Issues.
Social Issues from Multiple Perspectives – Click on the subject heading that is most related to your topic. (This is one of the best Internet sites for debatable issues such as abortion, gun control, euthanasia, etc.

Prepared by K. craver 2/2002

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