Library Guides: HLS 594: Research Topics: Subject Resources

Refine your search with a subject database

Use a subject specific database to narrow and focus your search. To use a fishing analogy, using LionSearch or Google Scholar is like fishing in the ocean. Lots of fish, and you will catch something. But is it what you want for dinner? Using a subject database that focuses on your topic is like fishing in a pond stocked with the fish you want to catch. You are much more likely to get what you want.

The Libraries have more than 700 databases. Below is a selection that may be most useful for this course. You are welcome to explore more of the databases available here: https://libraries.psu.edu/databases.

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts This link opens in a new window
The database provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration / policy.
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts is building on the merged backfiles of Political Science Abstracts, published by IFI / Plenum, 1975-2000, and ABC POL SCI, published by ABC-CLIO, 1984-2000. The database provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration / policy. The serials list of the new database is actively under construction, with a focus on expanding international coverage. As of February 2004 approximately 1,432 titles are being monitored for coverage; this list will continue to grow.
Social Sciences Citation Index This link opens in a new window
The Social Sciences Citation Index is a multidisciplinary index to the journal literature of the social sciences.
The Social Sciences Citation Index is a multidisciplinary index to the journal literature of the social sciences.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) This link opens in a new window
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) is a comprehensive source for research in international affairs.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) is a comprehensive source for research in international affairs. It includes full text of selected books on international affairs, working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, and proceedings from conferences. It also, contains abstracts and some full text of selected journal articles
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Content in JSTOR spans many disciplines, primarily in the humanities and social sciences.
JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization that provides a trusted archive of important scholarly journals and a selection of scholarly books. Content in JSTOR spans many disciplines, primarily in the humanities and social sciences. While indexing for JSTOR articles is covered in LionSearch, the full text of the articles is not searched in LionSearch. Search JSTOR itself to ensure detailed coverage of full texts.
Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
Project MUSE is a unique collaboration between libraries and publishers providing 100% full-text, affordable and user-friendly online access to high quality humanities, arts, and social sciences journals from scholarly publishers.
Project MUSE is a unique collaboration between libraries and publishers providing 100% full-text, affordable and user-friendly online access to high quality humanities, arts, and social sciences journals from scholarly publishers. MUSE began in 1993 as a pioneering joint project of the Johns Hopkins University Press and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at JHU. Grants from the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities allowed MUSE to go live with JHU Press journals in 1995. Journals from other publishers were first incorporated in 2000, with additional university press and scholarly society publishers joining in each subsequent year.

Papers and Reports

Congressional Research Service Reports This link opens in a new window
Research papers written by the Library of Congress for the use of Congress. Provide objective, non-partisan analysis of public policy issues before the legislature.
Research papers written by the Library of Congress for the use of Congress. Provide objective, non-partisan analysis of public policy issues before the legislature. Full text PDF of reports.

Department of Homeland Security Digital Library
Guidance and policy papers, reports, strategies, program regulations, and more.
Homeland Security Digital Library
Premier tool for homeland security policy and strategy research. Includes homeland security strategy, policy, and research documents published by: Federal, state and local government agencies; International governments and institutions; and research institutions, universities, think tanks.

OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new window
Full-text book and serial publications from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Full-text book and serial publications from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Also includes many of the data sets available from the organization.

Congressional Research Service Reports on Homeland Security
Reports prepared for government officials by the Congressional Research Service.