Three branches of US government
"Three Branches of the US Government Infographic." Usa.gov. 9 Nov 2018.
- Three branches of the United States governmentBroad overview of what is in which branch. Helpful when you need to go looking for primary sources -- where they are collected depends on the branch they're in.
- A-Z Index of U.S. Government AgenciesNot sure which branch the FBI is under? Look up specific offices here, and it will tell you!
Fundamentals of Government Information by Call Number: Ready Reference ZA5055.U6 F67 2016ISBN: 9780838913956Publication Date: 2016-04-01Availability and more information from Catalyst...
- List of Federal Agencies in the United StatesAnother way to learn how to search for information on small sub-groups in the US Government, like the FTC or the Smithsonian.
How classified government documents become primary sources
What is FOIA and why should I care?
The purpose of the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) is to give any person the ability to ask the US Government for copies of their documents -- for any reason. These requests can take a long time, and are often rejected. But sometimes they uncover amazing things!
Many of the declassified government documents that can be found in our databases were actually originally obtained by FOIA requests. The Kissinger telephone transcripts and Civil Rights during the Reagan Administration collection are a few such collections.
Most federal (national) government entities have a "FOIA Reading Room" of some sort, in part due to Attorney General Holder's 2009 memo that instructed government agencies to “readily and systematically post information online in advance of any public request.” Not sure how to find them? Try Googling:
site:*.gov [name of group] FOIA "reading room"
For example:
site:*.gov State Department FOIA "reading room"
- Walters, Rob. "When FOIA Requests Become a Reporting Habit." Nieman Reports 58, no. 3 (Fall, 2004): 92-96.An article from the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard about FOIA requests -- how to place them, why they're important for journalism, and the types of information that they've uncovered.
