Research Guides: Political Management Guide: Getting Started

Background Information Sources

The titles listed below are among the most frequently consulted works:

CQ Press Library
Provides information on historical and current issues in American politics and government, including: Political Handbook of the World; Washington Information Directory; Guides to Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Presidency, U.S. Elections and Political Campaigns; Historic Documents (1972-2017); Vital Statistics on American Politics; and Supreme Court Yearbook.

CQ Vital Statistics on American Politics Online
Covers a wide range of topics in American politics, such as elections, Congress, the presidency, the judiciary, the media, campaign finances, policy, and a variety of issues related to state and local government. Includes rankings of public officials' reputations, content analyses of media coverage, and public opinion data about policy issues. Sources of material include reference volumes, government publications, political science journals, monographs, and press releases.

Legislative Insight
Federal legislative history service providing full-text digital access to Congressional publications created during the legislative process leading up to the enactment of a U.S. Public Law.

GovTrack
Free research, tracking, and analytics on the daily activities of the United States Congress
Political Information
One of the best search engines for politics, policy, and political news
Politics 1
Non-partisan news site