Comparative Politics

What are reference materials? 

Reference material may be on a general or specific topic. They usually summary or background of a topic you may use to begin your research.

Some examples of reference materials include: 

• Almanacs and yearbooks ( provide data, numbers, or facts) 
• Bibliographies (identify other readings to expand your research)
• Dictionaries and glossaries ( provide meanings of terms and concepts, on a research topic)
• Encyclopedias (provide a description of your research topic)
• Handbooks (overview of academic research)
• Geographical sources (maps, atlases, bibliographies, and more)
• Manuals (how-to guides to research methods)

Books provide in-depth information about a topic.  

Some include: 

• Anthologies (collections of content on a single topic)
• Monographs (often times is a single author and topic)
• Series (multiple volumes published over time on a specific topic or area of study)
• Textbooks (contain facts, theories, and knowledge on a particular subject)

Things to look for in a book citation:

Title

Author

Publisher 

Year Published

Pages (if you're looking at a chapter or portion of a book)

A collection of articles within a particular subject area that is published regularly. The frequency of publication can be an indicator of how current the information is. Journals are more up-to-date than books and are a good place to find the latest research on a subject. In general, journals assign a volume number to indicate each year and an issue number for each publication.  Journals contain articles written by different authors. Journals may be popular, scholarly, or trade-oriented.

Articles are typically reviews or research papers written by academics or other experts on a given topic. They are most often peer-reviewed, which means that other experts have rigorously reviewed the content to ensure that it is valid. Articles provide details on research and often include methods and results. Journal articles examine more specific topics and are excellent to use for in-depth research.

What to look for in an article:

Title

Author(s)

Source/Journal title

Numbers: Volume, Issue, Pages

International, national, and local coverage of issues and events for a particular region, often with a distinct editorial perspective. Newspapers are important resources for current information, personal accounts, opinions on issues, and coverage of popular topics in a given community.

Significant research projects that are submitted for academic degrees. Dissertations are completed for doctoral degrees, which are completed for master's and some bachelor's degrees. The work reflects new scholarship on a topic. Dissertations are available from universities around the world. These are often lengthy, detailed works on a focused topic.

Wikipedia is not considered a credible source. However, Wikipedia is increasingly used by people in the academic community, from students to professors, as an easily accessible tertiary (3rd) source for information about anything and everything. Even if Wikipedia isn't used as a source, it may still be used to find other sources through References, Further Reading, keywords/search terms, and External Links at the end of the articles.