Pub 500/592 - Sun - Public Policy - LibGuides at California State University Dominguez Hills

Theories and Concepts

Communicative Capacity by Koen Bartels
ISBN: 9781447318507
Publication Date: 2015-08-01
Participatory democracy has become an unshakable norm and its practice is widespread. Nowadays, public professionals and citizens regularly encounter each other in participatory practice to address shared problems. This unique book explores how citizens and public professionals communicate, why this is so difficult and what could lead to more productive conversations.
An Introduction to the Policy Process by Thomas A. Birkland
ISBN: 9781317509790
Publication Date: 2015-09-04
The fourth edition of this widely-used text relates theory to practice in the public policy process. In a clear, conversational style, author Tom Birkland conveys the best current thinking on the policy process with an emphasis on accessibility and synthesis.
The Public Administration Theory Primer by H. George Frederickson; Kevin B. Smith; Michael J. Licari; Christopher Larimer
ISBN: 9780813349664
Publication Date: 2015-07-28
The Public Administration Theory Primer explores how the science and art of public administration is definable, describable, replicable, and cumulative.

The Literature Review

The Literature Review is your opportunity to summarize, critique, and/or synthesize the background of your research topic as it relates to your research question. In addition to our FAQ on how to get started on a literature review, here are some other resources from the library to help you write your literature review or understand the purpose of a literature review.

Doing Your Undergraduate Project (chapter 8) by Denis Reardon
ISBN: 9781847877451
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Doing Your Undergraduate Project is a practical step-by-step guide to managing and developing a successful undergraduate project. This practical and concise book provides: Advice for preparing a project and choosing a topic, Guidelines for writing a project proposal, A checklist for planning, A guide to producing a literature review, Advice on choosing and implementing appropriate methodology, An awareness of ethical issues Information for writing-up the report
Student Research and Report Writing (chapter 4) by Gabe T. Wang; Keumjae Park
ISBN: 9781118963937
Publication Date: 2015-11-17
This is an invaluable, concise, all-in-one guide for carrying out student research and writing a paper, adaptable to course use and suitable for use by students independently, it successfully guides students along every step of the way.
Writing the Successful Thesis and Dissertation (chapter 6) by Irene Clark
ISBN: 0132348330
A complete, step-by-step, practical overview of the process of writing successful theses and dissertations. This book combines the practical guidance and theoretical understanding students need to complete their theses or dissertations with maximum insight and minimum stress.
Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation (chapter 7) by Fred C. Lunenburg; Beverly J. Irby
ISBN: 9781412942249
Publication Date: 2007-12-21
The advice and resources you need to complete your thesis or dissertation! No matter what state or stage your project is in, this how-to manual provides comprehensive guidance to help you tackle your master's thesis or doctoral dissertation. Covering both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this essential resource offers direction for every step of the process.

Parts of Research

How can I read a research article?
What are the parts of a research article? What kind of information is in each section?
Anatomy of a Research Article
Outlines the structure and typical sections of a research article in the sciences and social sciences for reading and comprehension.
How can I choose a research topic?
Brainstorming how to decide on a research topic.
How can I use sources in my research project?
Using the B.E.A.M (Background, Exhibit, Argument, and Method) method for evaluating source.

Best Databases for Articles

The databases below are recommended for political administration articles; see the full database list for databases in all fields.

If you're unsure of the database you'd like to use to find your articles (or would like to search by Journal Title), use the Library Catalog (OneSearch) available here.

ABI/INFORM Complete This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive resource for business research. Includes newspapers, trade publications, industry reports, and scholarly sources on all topics. ABI/INFORM Complete includes all resources from other ABI products including Dateline, Global, and Trade & Industry.
Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
Find resources for your business research, including scholarly and professional full text articles, company profiles, and economic reports.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
This database provides full length articles on important current events issues which include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, graphics, and resources for additional research.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Contemporary social issues with a focus on the U. S. Browse by issue to find topic pages that provide curated lists of viewpoint essays presenting each side of a debate, academic articles, news, statistics, and more about that issue. A great resource for THE 120 & ENG 110.
Public Affairs Index This link opens in a new window
Articles, reports, and government documents on national and global public policy issues, including public health, the environment, housing, civil rights and international commerce.
Social Sciences Full Text This link opens in a new window
An interdisciplinary resource for finding scholarly articles in the social sciences including anthropology, communications, education, gender studies, psychology, sociology, and social work.
Social Services Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Search for articles on social work, human services, and related disciplines. Don't see PDF full text? Use the "Find @ CSUDH" to find it!
Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Research resources in sociology and related fields. Sociological Abstracts is great at finding international journals on a particular topic.
WestLaw This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive legal research system for researching primary law (cases, statutes, administrative materials, etc.) and secondary sources (treatises, law reviews, etc.).

Newspaper Search

Newspapers

Historical and current newspapers report on events and provide expert opinions and public perspectives. Some news articles also link to and summarize academic research and statistics. Not sure if a news source is credible or reporting accurate facts? Use the 4 Moves & a Habit process to evaluate news.

When would I need to find newspapers? You might use historical newspapers as a primary source in talking about a specific event like the Los Angeles Times coverage of the Watts Riots in 1965, or use current news articles for background information on a public issue like Time magazine cover story on the Parkland school shooting and youth activism.

Try searching in...

News & Newspapers (1985 - current) This link opens in a new window
Search all five ProQuest newspaper databases at once. Includes ProQuest Newsstand, Ethnic NewsWatch, GenderWatch, Global Newsstream, and ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Los Angeles Times. A great place to read The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Financial Times.
Los Angeles Times Historical (1881-1999) This link opens in a new window

View all newspaper databases

APA Citation

Publication manual for the American Psychological Association cover

APA Citation Guide

A guide with examples for formatting a in-text citation, reference list citations, and an APA research paper.

View Guide

Generating a Citation

How to generate a citation in OneSearch, EBSCO databases, and Google Scholar. Recommendations for citation guides.

Watch Video

Datasets

data.census.gov
- This link opens in a new window
Provides access to many kinds of demographic data about peoples in the United States, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories. Check out the Tutorials and Data Gems for more info.
Data.Gov
"The home of the U.S. Government’s open data, [h]ere you will find data, tools, and resources to conduct research, develop web and mobile applications, design data visualizations, and more."
Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS)
"The Office of Personnel Management Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (OPM FEVS) measures employees' perceptions of whether, and to what extent, conditions characteristic of successful organizations are present in their agencies."
General Social Survey (GSS)
"For more than four decades, the General Social Survey (GSS) has studied the growing complexity of American society. It is the only full-probability, personal-interview survey designed to monitor changes in both social characteristics and attitudes currently being conducted in the United States."
Los Angeles Open Data
"Los Angeles is one of the leading cities in the world in regards to open data and transparency. Los Angeles' open data initiative began with Mayor Eric Garcetti's third executive directive issued on December 18th, 2013. The directive states: "To promote transparency and accountability, the City of Los Angeles (“City”) will make publicly available raw data in easy-to-find and accessible formats. Open Data is raw data generated or collected by government agencies made freely available for use by the public, subject only to valid privacy, confidentiality, security, and other legal restrictions." To that end, the City has worked to share data with the public across many platforms for Angelenos to conduct research, develop apps or simply to poke around."
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research.
Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)
"The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. We are dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research."
Google Public Data Viewer
Visualize, explore and share public datasets using the Google Public Data interface.
HealthData.gov
"The data is collected and supplied from agencies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as state partners. This includes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, among others."
World Health Organization Data
Data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) from all points around the world on a variety of themes and topics.
World Bank Data
Data is accessible by country, indicator, or topic, or via a specific database such as World Development Indicators, Gender Statistics, Education Statistics, the Poverty and Equity Database, or one of many others.

Public and Non-Profit Organizations

Public (or government) resources typically end with the .gov domain (e.g., lacounty.gov, ca.gov, etc). Non-profit organizations often have a .org domain but not always. The best way of determining whether or not an organization is a non-profit, look for the organizations' 501(c)(3) status on the website, check with the California Secretary of State Business Search, or Guidestar.

Below is an annotated list of public and non-profit organizations in California.

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)
- This link opens in a new window
"The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. We are dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research."
Milken Institute
"The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that helps people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities."
State Agencies of California
Searchable index of state agencies in California with links to respective websites.
Los Angeles County Departments, Commissions, and Related Agencies
"The County government is comprised of 34 departments, plus related agencies and approximately 200 committees and commissions. In total, there are over 500 political districts such as school boards, water districts, and sanitation boards, that have varying responsibilities and constituencies within the County."
Orange County Departments
"The 25 departments (and respective divisions) that make up County government strive to make Orange County a safe, healthy, and fulfilling place to live, work and play, by providing vital services to the community. from enjoying books and scenic parkland to receiving social services and peace officer protection, community members interact with the County of Orange everyday."
San Bernardino County Departments and Organizations
List of all departments, programs, and services for San Bernardino County. Click on the name of the department, program, or service to expand the website and contact information.
County of Riverside Agencies and Departments
List of Agencies and Departments under the purview of the County of Riverside.
City of Carson Departments
List of links for different departments for the City of Carson.
City of Los Angeles Departments and Bureaus
List and links to the various departments and bureaus in the City of Los Angeles. Includes links to social media profiles.

Below is an annotated list of public and non-profit organizations in the United States.

A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies
Find contact information for U.S. federal government departments and agencies including websites, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and more. Get contact information for each state and territory.
Cato Institute
Conservative/Libertarian organization focused on economic and public policy research.
The Century Foundation
"The Century Foundation is a progressive, independent think tank that conducts research, develops solutions, and drives policy change to make people’s lives better. We pursue economic, racial, and gender equity in education, health care, and work, and promote U.S. foreign policy that fosters international cooperation, peace, and security."
The Council of State Governments
"Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is our nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships."
National Academy of Public Administration
"The National Academy of Public Administration helps government leaders solve their most critical management challenges. Since 1967, our congressionally chartered non-partisan non-profit Academy has provided expert advice to government leaders in building and managing more effective, efficient, equitable, accountable, and transparent organizations. Our national network of over 850 Fellows includes former cabinet officers, Members of Congress, governors, mayors, and state legislators, as well as prominent scholars, business executives, and public administrators."
National Center for Public Policy Research
"The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today’s public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century."
National League of Cities
"The National League of Cities is an organization comprised of city, town and village leaders that are focused on improving the quality of life for their current and future constituents."
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research.

Below is an annotated list of public and non-profit organizations internationally

Brookings Institution
"The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level."
Center for Strategic and International Studies
"The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges."
Chatham House
"Chatham House has been a source of independent analysis, trusted dialogue and influential ideas for one hundred years. Today, at the beginning of our second century, we continue to offer solutions to global challenges and actively seek to empower the next generation to change their world."
Global Public Policy Institute
"The Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) is an independent non-profit think tank based in Berlin. Our mission is to improve global governance through research, policy advice and debate."
RAND International
Non-partisan research organization focused on all topics
The Wilson Center
"The Wilson Center, chartered by Congress in 1968 as the official memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, is the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community."
United Nations
"The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945. It is currently made up of 193 Member States. The mission and work of the United Nations are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter."