Research Guides: PSCI 480: Research Methods: Government Information

Core Licensed Resources

U.S. Congressional Serial Set
A treasure trove for historic government reports, this resource includes agency and exploration reports, publications of special commissions, bill reports, executive branch correspondence, and much more. The database allows full-text access to reports.

Digital National Security Archive This link opens in a new window
Full text digitized declassified government documents from 1945-present regarding U.S. policy toward critical world events, with each module organized around a distinct topic and time period. See more… for a listing of the specific modules acquired by the library. Produced by the nongovernmental National Security Archive.
• Afghanistan: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1973–1990
• Argentina, 1975-1980: The Making of U.S. Human Rights Policy
• The Berlin Crisis, 1958–1962
• Chile and the United States: U.S. Policy toward Democracy, Dictatorship, and Human Rights, 1970–1990
• China and the United States: From Hostility to Engagement, 1960–1998
• CIA Covert Operations: From Carter to Obama, 1977-2010
• CIA Covert Operations II: The Year of Intelligence, 1975
• CIA Family Jewels Indexed
• Colombia and the United States: Political Violence, Narcotics, and Human Rights, 1948-2010
• The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
• The Cuban Missile Crisis: 50th Anniversary Update
• The Cuban Missile Crisis Revisited: An International Collection, From Bay of Pigs to Nuclear Brink
• Death Squads, Guerrilla War, Covert Ops, and Genocide: Guatemala and the United States, 1954-1999
• Electronic Surveillance and the National Security Agency: From Shamrock to Snowden
• El Salvador: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1977–1984
• El Salvador: War, Peace, and Human Rights, 1980–1994
• Iran: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1977–1980
• The Iran-Contra Affair: The Making of a Scandal, 1983–1988
• Iraqgate: Saddam Hussein, U.S. Policy and the Prelude to the Persian Gulf War, 1980–1994
• Japan and the United States: Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Relations, 1960–1976
• Japan and the United States: Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Relations, 1977–1992
• Japan and the United States: Diplomatic, Security, and Economic Relations, Part III, 1961-2000
• The Kissinger Conversations, Supplement: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969–1977
• The Kissinger Conversations, Supplement II: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
• The Kissinger Telephone Conversations: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
• The Kissinger Transcripts: A Verbatim Record of U.S. Diplomacy, 1969-1977
• Mexico-United States Counternarcotics Policy, 1969-2013
• Nicaragua: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1978–1990
• Peru: Human Rights, Drugs and Democracy, 1980-2000
• The Philippines: U.S. Policy During the Marcos Years, 1965–1986
• Presidential Directives on National Security, Part I: From Truman to Clinton
• Presidential Directives on National Security, Part II: From Truman to George W. Bush
• South Africa: The Making of U.S. Policy, 1962–1989
• The Soviet Estimate: U.S. Analysis of the Soviet Union, 1947–1991
• Terrorism and U.S. Policy, 1968–2002
• U.S. Espionage and Intelligence, 1947–1996
• U.S. Intelligence and China: Collection, Analysis and Covert Action
• The U.S. Intelligence Community: Organization, Operations and Management, 1947–1989
• The U.S. Intelligence Community After 9/11
• U.S. Intelligence on Weapons of Mass Destruction: From World War II to Iraq
• U.S. Military Uses of Space, 1945–1991
• U.S. Nuclear History, 1969-1976: Weapons, Arms Control, and War Plans in an Age of Strategic Parity
• U.S. Nuclear History: Nuclear Arms and Politics in the Missile Age, 1955–1968
• U.S. Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy, 1945–1991
• U.S. Policy in the Vietnam War, Part I: 1954-1968
• U.S. Policy in the Vietnam War, Part II: 1969-1975
• The United States and the Two Koreas, Part II, 1969-2010
• The United States and the Two Koreas (1969-2000)

Hein Online
This database provides the full text of the Federal Register from its inception in 1936 through the present, all editions of the Code of Federal Regulations, the full Congressional Record, all Supreme Court opinions, and Presidential proclamations and executive orders.
LexisNexis Congressional
This is a great resource for tracking down Congressional hearings (not full text, but provides information about the hearing, including the call number).

Recommended Websites

Here are a few links from the general web at large regarding Political Science. Please let me know of others either by contacting me directly (info to the right) or by commenting below.

CIA World Factbook
Summary information about the world's nations, gathered by the CIA and updates frequently.
Data.gov
"As a priority Open Government Initiative for President Obama's administration, Data.gov increases the ability of the public to easily find, download, and use datasets that are generated and held by the Federal Government."
Foreign Relations of the United States
This is a digital edition of the State Department series (held on Level 1 at call number S 1.1:).
GPO Access
GPO Access is a portal for government information: bills, laws, bill-related reports, hearing transcripts, the U.S. Code, Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Register, presidential papers, budget information, and Supreme Court opinions.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
A good place to start for statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. (Terminated October 2011).
THOMAS
An excellent source for the activities of the U.S. Congress, THOMAS includes information on Congressional bills (1973-present), links to the Congressional Record, roll call votes, and much more.
U.S. State Department
The State Department includes country background notes, issue reports, and diplomatic information.

Foreign & International Resources

Europa: Gateway to the European Union
Foreign Governments Links
Links to foreign government agencies, maintained by Northwestern University
IGO Links
Links to IGOs, maintained by the Northwestern University Library
OFFSTATS
OFFSTATS is a great resource from The University of Auckland Library. Find statistics by topic, country, or region.
UN Data
A single entry point for the statistical resources of the UN System
UN Documentation Center
Quick links to reports and resolutions of the General Assembly and Security Council. Includes a link to the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
World Bank Data Catalog
Quick access to over 2,000 indicators from World Bank data sources. Compare countries on indicators (e.g., health, literacy, income) or gather data for a country over time.