Research Guides: U.S. Politics and Policy: Overview

Find Articles

Political Science Complete This link opens in a new window
This is the best place to start for articles on political science topics.
America : History & Life (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Use this for political history topics.
PAIS This link opens in a new window
Start here for topics on public and foreign policy.

Congress and the Nation (1945-2016)
Find in-depth summaries of congressional trends, actions, political and policy controversies, organized by Congressional term and policy topic.
Congress in Context
Quick profiles with lists of major legislation, Supreme Court cases, timeline, and historical context for each Congressional session.

The Oxford Companion to American Politics
Publication Date: 2012
This is the best place to start for background information from scholars. Look for the links to related sources.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Political and Legal History
Publication Date: 2012
Substative background information about the laws, institutions, and actors that have governed America throughout its history, covering topics like from presidents and Supreme Court justices to specifics of policy history, critical legislation, and party formation. This is a great source for gaining context about your topic.
Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History
Publication Date: 2010
A comprehensive and authoritative encyclopedia of U.S. political history.
The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups
Publication Date: 2010
Authoritative critical overviews of the state of scholarship on American politics.

CQ Researcher Plus Archive This link opens in a new window
Find reports with great background information on news topics. Click "Browse Reports" to search by issue or date.
National Journal This link opens in a new window
Use for background information and context on current U.S. policy topics