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Political Science Research Guide

political science

The American Political Science Association defines Political Science as:

"Political science is the study of governments, public policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior.  Political science subfields include political theory, political philosophy, political ideology,  political economy, policy studies and analysis, comparative politics, international relations, and a host of related fields."

This research guide will assist students by providing information on resources to complete political science assignments.See the tabs above for more information on finding articles, books and additional resources. Please do not hesitate to ask for help if you have any questions!

Starting Your Research

The first step is to choose a topic. We recommend you consider the following:

  1. What topic are you interested in?
  2. If your topic was set by the instructor, what does your instructor want you to learn by doing the research?

Once the topic is selected, you should:

  1. Do a preliminary search for background information on the topic using a reference source, such as Credo Reference (Credo).
  2. Take note of significant people, places, events, etc. Consider why your topic is important to learn about today.
  3. Narrow your topic. Focus on the aspects that the paper will discuss.
  4. Create initial thesis statement.
  5. Search for scholarly articles (recently published academic research) that support your thesis. You can find them using library databases like Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) or JSTOR Arts & Sciences I-XV (JSTOR). 

Need Help?

The subject librarian, Megan Gonzales, is available if you have questions or would like to schedule a research help meeting. Find her contact information on the left side of this page.

If you need immediate assistance, the University Library provides assistance in many ways:

  • In-person at the Information/Reference desk
  • By phone: 210-784-1500
  • By e-mail: library@tamusa.edu
  • By online chat:Chat with us wherever you see the Ask Us Now! icon
  • By text: (210) 802-2ASK

Library Information

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