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Political Science

A guide to information sources for those researching in the area of political science

Databases with U.S. Government Information

Congressional Research Service Reports

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a branch of the Library of Congress which produces non-partisan reports on any issue a member of Congress requests. These are known as CRS reports and can be a great way to quickly get the background on a large issue that may have come before Congress in one form or another. CRS reports will include a history of legislation and administrative policy on an issue, as well as an overview of the issue itself.

Searching the Web

Federal government agencies currently most more information and publications on their websites than they publish in print. Use Search USA.gov instead of Google to cut down on non-government results. This search engine includes .gov, .mil, .us and other official government domains for federal, state and local government in the United States.

General U.S. Statistics

The following sources are great places to start looking for U.S. federal statistics and international statistics on all subjects.

U.S. Census

Looking for demographic and housing data from the U.S. Decennial Census? Start with the sources below and see the U.S. Census Information guide for more information.

U.S. Election Statistics

These resources contain U.S. Election results. More detailed information, for smaller geaographies usually needs to be obtained from state or county levels. See the County Clerks office for the area of interest.

Polling Data & Statistics