Politics Resources at Princeton University Library

General Reference Works

• Linguist List - Dictionaries
  URL: linguistlist.org/sp/Dict.html
  Internet gateway to a wide range of dictionaries, including bilingual and multilingual dictionaries.
   
• Mirriam-Webster Online
  URL: www.m-w.com/
   
• Oxford English Dictionary (PU only)
  URL: dictionary.oed.com/
   
• American Political Scientists: A Dictionary.
  Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .A525 1993
   
• Black's Law Dictionary. 7th ed.
  St. Paul, MN: West Group, 1999.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: KF156 .B53 1999
   
• The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science.
  Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, 1999.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .B43 1999
   
• The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics.
  New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1996.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .C665 1996
   
• A Dictionary of Modern Politics. 3rd ed.
  New York: Europa, 2002.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .R63 2002
   
• The Illustrated Dictionary of Constitutional Concepts.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1996.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .M28 1996
   
• Oxford Reference Online (PU only)
  URL: http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/GLOBAL.html?authstatuscode=200
  This convenient web resource brings together online versions of 100 well-known and trusted dictionaries and reference books such as the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics, Dictionary of Political Biography, Dictionary of the Social Sciences, and Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy.

• Britannica Online (PU only)
  URL: http://search.eb.com
   
• Encyclopedia of Democracy. 4 vols.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1995.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JC423 .E53 1995
   
• Encyclopedia of Nationalism. 2 vols.
  San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 2001.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JC311 .E4996 2001
   
• The Encyclopedia of Political Revolutions.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Inc., 1998.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JC491 .E63 1998
   
• Encyclopedia of Political Thought.
  New York: Facts on File, 2001.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .E52 2001
   
• International Encyclopedia of Government and Politics.
  Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1996.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .I58 1996
   
• International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (PU only)
  An updated online version of the classic encyclopedia of the social sciences. Very useful for clearing up terminology and identifying key concepts.
   
• The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World.
  New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA61 .O95 2001

• Almanac of American Politics
  Washington, DC: National Journal. Biennial.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JK1012 .A44
  Library Has: 1972-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  URL: http://nationaljournal.com/members/almanac (1998-present)
  Provides a political overview of each state, including information on governors, senators and representatives. Includes brief biographies, office addresses and telephone numbers, election results, Congressional committee memberships, interest group ratings and key votes. See also, Politics in America below.
   
• Europa World Year Book
  London: Europa Publications. Annual.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JN1 .E85
  Library Has: 1959-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  URL: http://www.europaworld.com
  Provides country profiles that cover demographic, historic, economic and political information. Europa also publishes other regional yearbooks, including Africa South of the Sahara, The Far East and Australasia, The Middle East and North Africa, and South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Also available online as Europa World.
   
• Political Handbook of the World.
  Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications. Annual.
  Location: Firestone Library (F)
  Call Number: 7560.729
  Library Has: 1928-1970
  Call Number: JF37 .P6
  Library Has: 1975-present
  Current volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  Provides essential political information about every country in the world, including heads of government, cabinet members, leaders and programs of political parties, representation in national legislatures, news media and membership in international organizations. Primary focus is on government and development of political climate.
   
• Politics in America.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. Biennial.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JK1010 .P64
  Library Has: 1945-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  Provides articles that summarize Congress members' performance, issues, legislative influence, political alliances, elections and voting records. Includes statistics on elections, campaign finances, interest group ratings, and committee memberships. See also the Almanac of American Politics above.
   
• The Statesman's Yearbook.
  New York: St. Martin's Press. Annual.
  Location: Firestone Library (F)
  Call Number: JA51 .S7
  Library Has: 1876-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  Similar to the Political Handbook above, also provides detailed information about all the countries of the world. Focus is more on social and development indicators. Each entry includes a small map for quick geographical orientation, as well as a list of references for further reading.
   
• World Almanac and Book of Facts.
  New York: World Almanac Education Group, Inc. Annual.
  Location: Off-site Annex, Forrestal (AnnexA)
  Call Number: AY67 .N5 W7
  Library Has: 1868, 1872, 1891-1921, 1923-1988, 1990-present
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: AY67 .N5 W7
  Library Has: 1956-1971, 1973-1976, 1978-1991, 1993-present
  An excellent general almanac that provides a wide range of useful information annually, including key political figures, events and historical facts.
   
• World Factbook
  Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency. Annual.
  Location: Government Documents Collection (DOCS)
  Call Number: PREX 3.15/2:
  URL: www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
  Provides profiles of countries throughout the world. Each profile begins with a brief background, and includes information about the geography, population, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues.

• CQ's Washington Information Directory.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. Annual.
  Location: Firestone (F)
  Call Number: F192.3 .W33
  Library Has: 1975/76-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  Comprehensive source of contact and descriptive information for governmental and non-governmental organizations in Washington, DC.
   
• Federal Regulatory Directory.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. Annual.
  Location: Firestone (F)
  Library Has: 1979/80-present
  Call Number: KF5406 .A15 F4
  Current Volume SSRC Ready Reference
  Extensive information on regulatory agencies and process. Includes organizational structure, contacts, and overviews of federal regulations by agency.
   
• Gale's Ready Reference Shelf (PU only)
  Provides integrated access to more than a quarter million entries from Gale's most popular reference directories, including Encyclopedia of Associations, Encyclopedia of Governmental Advisory Organizations, Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, and International Research Centers Directory.
   
• International Information Directory.
  Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. (Ceased)
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JX1905.5 .C65
  Library Has :1998-1999, 2000/2001
  Current Volulme: SSRC Ready Reference
  Provides information on more than 4,500 organizations, arranged by topic and individual country. Includes world and regional organizations, foreign governments, intergovernmental agencies, and nonprofit groups. Note that this book is no longer published, but the latest volume still provides useful information.
   
• United States Government Manual
  Publisher: Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register. Annual.
  Location: Firestone (F)
  Call Number: 7567.01.9221
  Library Has: 1935-1972/73
  Call Number: JK421 .A3
  Library Has: 1973/74-present
  Current Volume: SSRC Ready Reference
  Official listings of U.S. government agencies. Provides contact information as well as descriptions of agency responsibilities and statutory authorities. Also available online (1995-present) via GPO Access.
   
• World Directory of Minorities.
  London, UK: Minority Rights Group International, 1997.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: GN495.4 .W67 1997
  Provides information on the conditions of minority communities throughout the world. The directory covers over 200 states and dependent territories, organized into eleven regional categories. Each entry provides information about the country's or territory's main minority groups, references to further reading, and in many cases contact information for minority-based and advocacy organizations.

• A+ Research and Writing
  URL: http://www.ipl.org/teen/aplus
  A useful online guide for writing research papers provided by the Internet Public Library.
   
• The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. 15th ed.
  Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2003.
  Location: SSRC Ready Reference
  Call Number: Z253 .U69 2003
  The Chicago Manual has set the editorial standard since 1906 and is considered to be the definitive authority on writing for publication.
   
• Online! Citation Styles
  URL: http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/citex.html
  Covers citation styles for electronic resources in MLA, APA and Chicago styles.
   
• Strunk's Elements of Style
  URL: http://www.bartleby.com/141
  An online version of the classic source that provides the essential rules of English style.
   
• Style Manual for Political Science. Rev. ed.
  Washington, DC: American Political Science Association, Committee on Publications, 2001.
  Location: Social Science Reference Center (SSRC)
  Call Number: JA74 .S89 2001
  This is the American Political Science Association's official manual for manuscript submissions. Use this guide in conjunction with the Chicago Manual listed above.

URL: http://firestone.princeton.edu/politics/reference.html
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jhernand@princeton.edu

Page last updated: November 25, 2005