Research Guides: POL 4190 Senior Seminar Research Guide: Policy Briefs & Government Reports

Databases & Links

ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Searches the full text of bills, laws, bill tracking reports, and legislative histories, and searches the abstracts, titles, indexing information, and other bibliographic data for publications produced by the United States Congress.
Congress.Gov This link opens in a new window
Access to Congressional publication including bills, laws, and committee reports

Congressional Research Service
CRS approaches complex topics from a variety of perspectives and examines all sides of an issue. Staff members analyze current policies and present the impact of proposed policy alternatives.
CRS reports are available via ProQuest Congressional as well.
Minnesota Legislative Reference Library
Search for Minnesota reports, articles, and more.
MN State Agencies, Boards, Commissions
List of MN agencies, boards, and commissions where you may find policy briefs. Use the name of the agency, board, or commission to search in LRL.
MN House Research Department
Minnesota House Research Department provides nonpartisan, neutral research and legal services to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
MN Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis
The Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis Office (SCRFA) is a nonpartisan organization that provides legal, research and fiscal analysis services to the Minnesota State Senate.
Issue Lab
Find reports, issue briefs, whitepapers, and more. Use the document type limiter to narrow to policy briefs. Any organization can add content to this website so evaluation is especially warranted.

Civil Rights and Social Justice This link opens in a new window
Containing publications from the Commission on Civil Rights, legislative histories on landmark legislation, briefs from relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases, and more, this database covers civil rights in the United States as their legal protections and definitions are expanded to cover more and more Americans.

Questions to Consider

A policy brief or memo provides a concise summary of information that helps readers understand and make informed decisions on a policy issue. As you search for policy briefs and government information, keep in mind the following questions:

Who produces the information you need? Is it a government agency, non-governmental organization (NGO), or an intergovernmental organization (IGO)?
How is the information you need organized and disseminated?
Is the information you found produced by a think tank (a research institute that advocates for a particular policy)? If so, how might political biases influence the information? How would you evaluate such a source?

Kathryn A. Martin Library

POL 4190 Senior Seminar Research Guide

Political Science Librarian

Databases & Links

Questions to Consider