LibGuide - online library support - Politics & International Relations Subject Guide

Your Librarian - Exeter

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Subjects: Anthropology, Anthrozoology, Arab and Islamic Studies, Criminology, Education, European Studies, Food Studies, Middle East Studies, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, Security Studies, Sociology

Your Librarian - Cornwall

Rachel Browning (Cornwall)

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Subjects: Environmental Humanities, History, Law, Politics and International Relations

Research workshop

Research and Literature searching - SSI

Where to start your search

Library Search

Library Search will help you discover books, journals, articles, audio visual material and more on your chosen topic. This is a good place to start when you are beginning to research a topic as you can draw on content from a variety of different sources.

For more in depth research in databases and archives, use the A-Z Databases List.

Expand your searching

Finding Books & Journal Articles

Research databases index the global literature and provide references to journal articles, books, conference proceedings, reports etc that match your search criteria.
They help you to find information about previous publications in your research field.
Key research databases for Politics & IR research include:

International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) This link opens in a new window
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) is an essential online resource for social science and interdisciplinary research focusing on the four core social science subjects of anthropology, economics, politics, and sociology

Use the IBSS LibGuide for guidance and search tips

Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Web of Science is a large bibliographic research databases. The content is multidisciplinary and covers all subject areas not just politics so can be useful for investigating subjects that span related disciplines.

The Web of Science LibGuide for comprehensive support and training

JSTOR This link opens in a new window

JSTOR provides access to scholarly book, journal and primary sources via an easy to use search interface.

Use the How to Search JSTOR LibGuide for a general introduction to the service.

The Political Science Resources on JSTOR guide will introduce you to the content available in this area. The content covers all the major subfields of political science: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory & philosophy, political behavior, public policy and law. The political science content includes journals published around the world, including concentrations in Middle East studies, India, and Asia.

JSTOR also has a Vimeo channel for educational and instructional videos. The following video shows you how to use ebooks on the JSTOR service.

Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new window
A digitised collection of declassified government documents covering US policy toward critical world events - including the military, intelligence, diplomatic and human rights dimensions. Content is drawn from the National Security Archive.
Access to the following collections:
- China and the United States: From Hostility to Engagement, 1960-1998
- CIA Covert Operations, Part III: From Kennedy to Nixon, 1961-1974
- CIA Family Jewels Indexed
- Cuban Missile Crisis: 50th Anniversary Update
- Japan and the United States: Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Relations, 1977–1992 (Japan and the U.S., 1977-1992)
- Japan and the United States: Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Relations, Part III, 1961-2000 (Japan and the U.S., 1961-2000)
- Kissinger Conversations Supplements I & II: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
- Kissinger Telephone Conversations: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
- Kissinger Transcripts: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
- Presidential Directives on National Security, Part I: From Truman to Clinton (Presidential Directives)
- Presidential Directives on National Security, Part II: From Truman to George W. Bush (Presidential Directives, Part II)
- President's Daily Brief: Nixon, Ford and the CIA, 1969-1977
- U.S. Intelligence and China: Collection, Analysis and Covert Action

This archive consists of numerous collections. Those available to you include

A Proquest Libguide for DNSA is available. Note that the guide covers all the collections on DNSA, and your full text access is to the subset of collections flagged above.

Further information about the National Security Archive is available via their website. Numerous freely available documents are available for browsing and searching, as well as a wealth or other information. The NSA is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at the George Washington University in the US. The NSA collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through Freedom of Information Act FOIA procedures.

Statista is a database that offers access to global statistics, data, graphs and infographics. Statista provides in-depth economic data on 120 countries; as well as political data and information on global companies and market trends. All data is available to download and Statista allows you to edit how your data is presented.

Statista This link opens in a new window

Use the Databases A-Z List to access all the resources available to you.

You can browse by subject , e.g. Politics or type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resource.

Allied subjects include Middle Eastern Studies, Security Studies and Business. You will also find LibGuides available for these and other subject disciplines.

More guidance on news and official publications sources is available via this guide and these can be valuable research resources in the field of Politics and International Relations.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less).
You can explore TED Talks related to the topic of P olitics, as well as articles on Politics
The Global Power Shift playlist playlist is a good starting point for understanding the sort of talks you'll find on TED.
You'll find talks on all sorts of other topics too. The latest and most popular talks are available from the TED homepage.
TED talks can be a great way to keep up to date with live issues in your area of research/study

Below is a popular talk from Hans Rosling, exemplifying the benefits of data visualisation.

I am looking for ...

You are likely to use a wide range of different types of information sources for your study and research.

As well as academic sources such as books and journals, you may wish to consult news sources, official publications, statistics etc. View the Searching for specific types of information guide.

Use the online support highlighted here to guide your searching.

News sources can be invaluable research resources.
They provide contemporaneous accounts of events as they emerge and unfold, affording a snapshot of developments at a point in time.
You can engage in historical research by tracing commentary on issues over time, to identify and track changing political, economic and social trends.
The availability of news resources online allows for very effective and comprehensive searching, in a way that was impossible with print or microfilm / microfiche editions of the newspapers

Find out more on the News LibGuide

Official publications are documents and other resources produced by Parliament and Government during the course of parliamentary and government business.
Content ranges from statements of law and policy to government reports and statistics.
These publications can be a very valuable primary research source as they address all aspects of governmental work such as science, education, law, agriculture, transport, health etc.

Find out more in the Official Publications LibGuide.

The University has access to an extensive range of online primary source materials. These contain digitised copies of documents, letters, books, photographs and other primary sources.

The Primary Sources Libguide will help you identify the best databases for your research.

Statistics is the science of collecting, analysing and presenting numerical data.
Statistical data can be found on a huge variety of subjects, for example the economy, employment, the environment, government, health, international trade, manufacturing, and population.
They can be a vital source of information for your studies.

Find out more on the Statistics LibGuide.

Effective Searching & Referencing

It is important to plan your search strategy, and manage your search results so that you get the most from your online searching.

Keep a record of all the material you need to cite in your assignments, papers, projects etc.

Use the Search Techniques and Referencing guidance to assist you.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of information available to you.

Invest time in planning an effective online search strategy so that you can quickly and easily discover relevant and high quality information.

Use the Search Techniques LibGuides for lots of hints and tips on successful online searching

As you search you need to keep track of all the material you will be using in your academic work so that you can cite and reference it appropriately.

Top Tip

Always check your module handbook for specific departmental guidance on the style required for your assessed works and dissertations. Check with your personal tutor or dissertation supervisor if you need clarification.

For more guidance take a look at:

Library's Referencing LibGuide: includes guidance on referencing styles and referencing software

Cite Them Right This link opens in a new window
Use this online referencing tool to create citations and reference lists . Cite Them Right provides comprehensive practical tips and examples on a wide range of referencing styles.

Academic Skills: Skills for Referencing online support

Find out more about the skills support available to help you develop a range of study skills including essay writing, referencing, critical reading and getting the most out of lectures.

Study Skills Support

Sage Research Methods This link opens in a new window
Includes varied support content such as book, journal, reference and audiovisual content covering all aspects of research methods.

Sage Research Methods Online (SRMO) is a great resource to use when you are planning and conducting your research.

It is targeted at social science researchers but is useful across all subject areas as it covers key research methodology topics that are applicable across the research spectrum.

Sage have produced a comprehensive LibGuide to help you get the best from the resource.

Linking the University of Exeter Library to Google Scholar

Google Scholar is an online, freely accessible search engine for locating scholarly literature from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. But not all full text content is free to access.

However, it is possible to link the University of Exeter online library to Google Scholar, making it quick to identify and access library full text content.

Just follow these instructions: