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Political Science: Reference Materials

Reference Materials

Why Reference Sources?

Is your research topic too big to cover in a short paper?  Is your topic so specific that sources will be hard to find?

Before you even begin your research, start the process with reference sources-- in the Library's Reference Section or online in our databases.  Reference books, like subject encyclopedias, can give you a head start and make your research easier in the long run.  Use reference sources to:

  • find a topic
  • narrow your topic
  • find keywords
  • get background information on your topic

MOST IMPORTANT:   Encyclopedia of Political Science

Collections of Many Online Reference Books in one place:

Credo Reference     and    Gale eBooks / Gale Virtual Reference Library   and   Salem Press

Oxford Reference and Sage Knowledge Reference also have thousands of scholarly, academic articles, but they are a bit more difficult to use.   Click here to find instructions on how to use these collections of reference books.


Allsides Red Blue Dictionary

American Citizenship:  Defining  Documents.  Reference  JK 1759 .A 647 2021

American Governance

The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: A User's Guide to its Terms

Church and State:  Opinions Throughout History.   Reference  BR 516 .I 885 2022

Congress of the United States:  A Student Companion
Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices
Dictionary of Politics and Government

Dissent and Protest:  Defining Documents in American History.   General  HM 881 .D 57 2017
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online

Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics

Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics
Encyclopedia of Democracy. Reference JC 423 .E 53 1995

Encyclopedia of Federal Agencies and Commissions
Encyclopedia of Governance
Encyclopedia of Libertarianism. Reference JC 585 .E 53 2008
Encyclopedia of Nationalism also Reference JC 311 .E 63 2001
Encyclopedia of Political Communication
Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion. Reference BL 65 .P7 E 53 2007
Encyclopedia of Politics: The Left and the Right.
Encyclopedia of Politics, the Media, and Popular Culture
Encyclopedia of Populism.
Encyclopedia of Public Choice
Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics.

Encyclopedia of the United States Congress

Encyclopedia of the U.S. Presidency
A Glossary of Political Economy Terms

Humanitarianism:  Keywords

International Encyclopedia of Abbreviations and Acronyms in Science and Technology:  Series C - Disarmament, Policy of Peace, Military Policy.
International Encyclopedia of Political Science

Legislating Morality in America : Debating the Morality of Controversial U.S. Laws and Policies.

LGBTQ Americans in the U.S. Political System: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Voters, Candidates, and Officeholders
Online Dictionary of the Social Sciences

The  Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in Contemporary Politics, Law, and Social Movements

The Oxford Encyclopedia of LGBT Politics and Policy

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Political Decision Making

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion

The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics.

The Oxford Handbook of Freedom.  General  B 824.4 .O 94 2018

Patriotism:  Critical Insights to Literature.  General  PN 56 .P 34 P 38 2021

Polling America:  An Encyclopedia of Public Opinion

Politics and Politicians:  Working Americans, 1880-2018.   General  HD 8066 .D 47 vol.15 
Religion and Contemporary Politics:  A Global Encyclopedia
SAGE Encyclopedia of Political Behavior.

Statistical Abstract of the United States.   Latest print editions at Ready Reference. Older editions at General HA 202 .U 5 S 93.
Talking Conflict : The Loaded Language of Genocide, Political Violence, Terrorism, and Warfare.

Working Americans:  Politics and Politicians, 1880 - 2018.  General  HD  8066 .D 47 vol.15

List of COD databases about Statistics

  • URL: https://library.cod.edu/politicalscience
  • Last Updated: May 31, 2023 4:10 PM
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