Librarian
Search Across Think Tanks and Producers
- Policy File Index This link opens in a new window
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(Searches through citations, subject indexing, and abstracts)
Find reports on public policy topics from major think tanks, research organizations, and advocacy groups including the Hoover Institution, International Monetary Fund, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, RAND Corporation, and the World Bank. Covers 1990-current.
- JSTOR Security Studies
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A full-text collection of journals, ebooks, and research reports in the field of security studies. Subcollections on defense spending, military technology, and warfare, for example. Narrow to "research reports" for policy reports. - Think Tank Search Engine - Harvard Kennedy School
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Using a specialized Google search engine, directly search the web sites of hundreds of think tanks. - Specialized Policy Searches - Findpolicy.orgDirectly search the web sites of specific collections of think tanks based on geographic focus or special topics.
- Factiva This link opens in a new window
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Factiva's indexed news content allows you to narrow a keyword search with great specificity. Use the government and politics section to find think tank, research organization, and journalistic commentary on issues of government and politics.
Narrowing Your Factiva Search
Subject > Political/General News > National/Public Security > Armed Forces
OR
Subject > Political/General News > National/Public Security > State Security Measures/Policies
Also try any of the following
Source > By Type > Government and Politics
Source > By Region > ...
Region > ...
For example, to find documents from the last three months having to do with Pakistan's military, you might use the following filters (see the yellow-orange boxes)
[image content: a screenshot of Factiva showing filters for Pakistan, subjects of State Security Measures and Armed Forces, and news filters to Pakistan]
Disciplinary Literature Searches
- PAIS: Public Affairs Information Service This link opens in a new window
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(Searches through citations, subject indexing, and some full text)
Includes information about articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about international public affairs. Covers publications from 1914 - present. - Worldwide Political Science Abstracts This link opens in a new window
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(Searches through citations, subject indexing, and some full text)
This is the core disciplinary index to political science journal articles. Broad coverage of political science along with complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration & policy. Covers 1975 - present. - ProQuest Politics Collection This link opens in a new window
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(Searches through citations, subject indexing, and some full text)
Search across several individual databases at once: PAIS Index, Policy File Index, ProQuest Political Science Database, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts.
Recommended Publications and Think Tanks (compiled in class)
Evaluating Think Tanks
TRAAP
- Timeframe
- Relevance - does it have the information I need? Is it created for the right audience (e.g. researchers or policy makers)? How is it connected to the topic?
- Authority - who wrote it and what makes them qualified to provide this sort of information? Would you consider this creator to be an expert in the topic at hand?
- Accuracy - are the facts correct? Can you verify them with other sources? Are claims backed up with data? Does the author provide sources? Did it go through any type of review process?
- Purpose - why was this created? What underlying motive or bias might the author or organization bring to this information?
Questions to Consider:
- Read the About section. Does the organization clearly identify its political leanings or its neutrality?
- Does the organization focus on one issue alone? If so, look carefully at its funding.
- Look up the address. Is it a street address or a post office box? Google either: Is it shared with other organizations? Do they share a suite, a phone? What is their relationship?
- These tips and more from "Writing About Think Tanks and Using Their Research: A Cautionary Tip Sheet" from Journalists Resource.
- "What Do Think Tanks Do" - The Economist ExplainsA helpful short read on the history of think tanks and how to use, contextualize, and evaluate their research.
- Foreign Affairs Online: Think Tanks
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- National Special Interest Group Ratings - Project Vote Smart
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- Policy File Index This link opens in a new window
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Read the organization descriptions in this database which includes a wide-ranging selection of think tanks and research organizations.
- Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program - U PennTTCSP conducts research on the relationship between think tanks, politics, and public policy, produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index, and trains researchers.
- TransparifyRanks the financial transparency of major think-tanks on a global scale.
