Politics of the Dot.Net Generation

Need help with your research? Contact:

Jen Jarson
Social Sciences Reference Librarian
phone: x3552
email: jarson [at] muhlenberg [dot] edu
IM (AIM, Yahoo, MSN): jjarson1 (add @hotmail.com for MSN)

Need help after hours?
IM the Library at TalkToTrexler (for AIM, Yahoo, and MSN)
Note: Add @hotmail.com for MSN.
Online Sunday-Thursday 2pm-10pm.
See Ask a Librarian for more information.

Finding Statistics

CIRCLE: The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (Tufts University)
http://www.civicyouth.org/
"CIRCLE conducts research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25. CIRCLE was founded in 2001 with a generous grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts and is now also funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and several others. It is based at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University."

2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation Survey
http://www.civicyouth.org/research/products/youth_index.htm

Special Report: Millennials Talk Politics: A Study of College Student Civic Engagment
http://www.civicyouth.org/?page_id=250

Political Participation and Voting
http://www.civicyouth.org/research/areas/pol_partic.htm

FedStats
http://www.fedstats.gov/
"Provides access to the full range of official statistical information produced by the [U.S.] Federal Government."

Institute of Politics (Harvard University)
http://www.iop.harvard.edu/
"The Institute of Politics' mission is to unite and engage students, particularly undergraduates, with academics, politicians, activists, and policymakers on a non-partisan basis and to stimulate and nurture their interest in public service and leadership."

National Conference on Citizenship
http://www.ncoc.net/
"The National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is a federally chartered corporation whose mission is to encourage a more active, engaged citizenry."

Pew Research Center
http://pewresearch.org/
"The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It does so by conducting public opinion polling and social science research; by reporting news and analyzing news coverage; and by holding forums and briefings. It does not take positions on policy issues."

Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
http://people-press.org/

How Young People View Their Lives, Futures, and Politics: A Portrait of Generation Next
http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/300.pdf

Statistical Resources on the Web: Political Science (University of Michigan)
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stpolisc.html
Listing of relevant online sources

United States Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/

American FactFinder
http://factfinder.census.gov/

Voting and Registration
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/voting.html

Finding Articles

See a list of all databases at via the Library Homepage -- Articles A-Z (in the Find box).

Academic Search Premier
Large and diverse database that covers most academic disciplines. Contains both scholarly and non-academic resources. Includes many articles in full text.

LexisNexis Academic
Indexes and provides full-text of major newspapers, nationally and internationally (English Language editions only). Also includes newswires, and select journals and magazines. Updated daily. Coverage from as early as 1980 to the present, but varies by publication.

OmniFile (WilsonWeb)
Multi-disciplinary database providing the complete content–indexing, abstracts, and full text from many of Wilson's databases (including Business, Education, Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, and more).

PAIS
Top source for politics and public affairs resources. Indexes periodicals, books, hearings, reports, gray literature, government publications, Internet resources, and other publications, 1972 to present.

Sage Journals Online
Provides access to all journals published by Sage. Full-text online 1999-present.

GETTING THE ARTICLES

When searching for articles, you may find the full-text of an article linked in the database.

If not, you need to search the Trexler Library Catalog to see if we own the journal in which the article is published.

Most databases have a Get It! link embedded. Click the link to check our holdings.

Otherwise, search the catalog by journal title. Verify that we have online, print, or microform access to the year/volume you need.

If we do not own the journal you need, request the article via Interlibrary Loan.

Some databases have a Request on Interlibrary Loan link embedded. Click the link to fill out the form. Click Submit.

Otherwise, use the Interlibrary Loan Journal Article Request Form (Library Homepage -- ILL (in the Services & Forms box) -- Articles request form). Fill out the form with as much information as possible. Ask for help, if you have questions.

Finding Books

TREXLER LIBRARY

Search the Trexler Library Catalog to find out what books, government publications, journals, videos, etc. the library owns.

GETTING THERE:      Use the shortcut search box on the Library Homepage or Library Homepage -- Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box) -- Trexler Library Catalog

For tips on searching the catalog, use the Help link above the search boxes.

OTHER LIBRARIES

WorldCat. To find books held by other libraries, search WorldCat, a database of over 60 million library records from around the country and world. Use the ILL button to request a book from another library. (ILL can take 10-14 days.)

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage -- Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box) -- Other Library Catalogs -- WorldCat

LVAIC. You can borrow books directly from LVAIC (Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges) Libraries.

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage -- Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box) -- Regional Libraries -- LVAIC Libraries

For more information on Interlibrary Loan options, see http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/more/ill/index.html or ask for help.

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage -- ILL (in the Services & Forms box)

Citing Your Sources

For help using Chicago Style, consult the following resources:

The Chicago manual of style, 15th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.027 C632m (at Reference Desk)

Trexler Library handout on using Chicago style: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/reshelp/chicago_example.pdf
This and other style guide handouts available from the library website. Library Homepage -- Citation Guides (in the Research Help box).

Writer's Handbook (Writing Center, University of Wisconsin--Madison)
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocChicago.html