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GVPP 408

Finding Policy Analysis Articles in Library Databases

Langsdale Library has several subject specific databases that could be good sources of policy analysis articles.  

Ideas for getting started

  • Select a database that you think might be most relevant to your topic
  • Try searching for the phrase "policy analysis" along with some other keywords describing the policy in which you have an interest 
    • Tip: putting "policy analyis" in quotes is searching for the exact phrase "policy analysis"
  • In some cases search for the phrase "policy analysis" may be too specific.  If you don't find anything
    • try searching for policy analysis without the quotes.  This will look for look for those terms anywhere in the record
    • if you still don't find any results trying searching for analysis, without using the word policy
    • Can you think of other words that might be used to descibe an article with a policy analysis?  Try those instead, and post your idea to the suggestion box on the left
    • Using policy may be too broad.  In this case you may have better luck trying to identify a specific policy first (see below) and then searching for information on that specific policy.

Subject Specific Databases containg policy analyses

Finding Background Information on Policies

Langsdale LIbrary has several databases that provide extensive background information on an issue, policy or piece of legislation.  Sometimes you will find an alaysis of a policy here as well, but most often you might find a reference to a policy aalysis or names of specific laws or policies that can be used as search terms in the databases listed above.

  • CQ Almanac
    you need to click on the blue FindIt button to get online access
  • CQ Researcher
    Comprehensive, analytical reports on popular news topics. The reports provide background on the topics along with competing viewpoints to help see sources of potential bias.
  • ProQuest Legislative Insights 
    Legislative histories, which include searchable full-text .PDF publications created in the course of congressional lawmaking. Each history includes the full text of the public law itself, all versions of related bills, law-specific Congressional Record excerpts, committee hearings, reports, and prints. Also included are presidential signing statements, CRS reports, and miscellaneous congressional publications that provide background material to aid in the understanding of issues related to the making of the law. 

Reports from Organizations

Numerous organizations provide analytic reports on a variety of issues and policies.  Several government agencies produce reports, many of which are analyses of a policy or law, but there are also several prominent organizations that publish their own reports.  Many of these organizations have a specific agenda or point of view that they want to promote, so you might notice a certain bias in the approach some of these analyses might take.  This does not have to mean the reports are bad, but you should think critically about them.  Some private organizations and government agencies perform analysis that strive to be neutral, although there are some that would question their objectivity as well.

Government reports

Some notable policy organizations