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Library-Internet Information .
I. OVERVIEW -- INTERNET AND LIBRARY SEARCHES FOR INFORMATION There are a variety of resources and information available (electronically and in print) at the library and on the internet in order to conduct research and access lots of information. This is a very brief, but hopefully user friendly, guide on how to utilize electronic and print sources available on the internet and most libraries in order to conduct research and update information on U.S. foreign policy. These are absolutely essential basic skills to learn and have for the future. First, a distinction must be made between a URL/website address, an internet search engine, and a data base: 1) A URL/website address will take you to a specific site or source or organization on the internet (e.g., the website for an article from The New York Times begins http://www.nytimes.com . . ., etc.). This is useful if you have a specific website address and you know specifically where you want to go. 2) An internet search engine (e.g., Yahoo and Google are excellent places to begin) allows one to search for sources and information throughout the internet. It usually allows for the broadest, most open-ended, but often time-consuming searches. You can access a search engine on the internet by usually typing, for example, www.yahoo.com in the address area. After the yahoo homepage comes up, then you type the relevant topic, key words, title, or author in the search area. You should come up with lots of "hits" (or responses and links). You need to look them over to determine which are relevant to your concerns. You then left click the mouse on the link to access the website and scan it to see if it provides helpful information. Always bookmark a valuable website that you would like to go to again. 3) A database consists of a large set of information (such as references and articles in different newspapers, magazines, and/or journals) and is available in both electronic form (such as Infotrac, Lexis-nexus) and in print form (such as Public Affairs Information Service) that are usually subscribed to by libraries (and other organizations). Whereas the internet is available to anybody who can connect, you must be authorized to have access to data bases by, for example, being a member of a college or university (who subscribes to the data base). Relevant information is found through searching within the electronic database by title, author, keywords and subjects or by examining the printed index. Data bases are probably the most efficient way to find references to relevant sources and information (and find full text articles). For example, Infotrac, is an excellent data base that covers, among other topics, international affairs, politics, and U.S. foreign policy with over 20 years worth of often “full-text articles” from nearly 4000 scholarly, policy, and popular journals and magazines. Second, what follows are helpful hints as to which are some of the better data bases to use to find different electronic and print sources of information about international affairs and U.S. foreign policy: – For American newspaper articles use Lexus-Nexus and the General Magazine Index of Infotrac (for an electronic version). – For foreign newspaper articles use Lexus-Nexus (for an electronic version). – For popular magazine articles, such as Newsweek or New Republic or the Economist, use Infotrac, Lexus-Nexus (for an electronic version); Public Affairs Information Service, Readers’ Guide to Periodical Abstracts (for the print version). – For foreign policy-oriented journal articles, such as Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy or World Policy Journal, use Infotrac, (for an electronic version); International Political Science Abstracts, Public Affairs Information Service, Social Science Abstracts (for the print version). – For academic journal articles, such as American Political Science Review, Diplomatic History, Political Science Quarterly, International Security, International Studies Quarterly, use Infotrac, Project MUSE (for an electronic version) and International Political Science Abstracts (for the print version). – For books, use your library catalogue system (for the print version), as well as www.amazon.com , www.barnesandnoble.com and www.abebooks.com (for an electronic overview).– For book reviews (of at least 250 words) use Infotrac, Lexus-Nexus (for an electronic version) and Book Review Digest (for the print version). – For U.S. government documents, use CIS (Congressional Universe), Lexus-Nexus (for an electronic version) and the library catalogue system (for the print version). – For articles or documents from an IGO (International Governmental Organization) or a PVO/NGO (Private Voluntary or Non-Governmental Organization), use a search engine (for an electronic version). If for some reason you are having difficulty finding any sources, especially electronically (because the helpful hints aren't working), then you will probably have to rely on search engines or engage in a more traditional search in a library. And ask a librarian.
Purpose: To familiarize students with how to find the variety of resources and information available (in print and electronically) in the library and on the internet, especially relative to international studies AND U.S. foreign policy, in order to acquire information and conduct research in the global information age. Also to learn how to clearly cite bibliographic information. These are absolutely critical skills to learn at a University and essential to have for the future.
Tasks: I. Select a topic or issue of interest to you and that is relevant to this course. Topic: II. Sources: identify and provide information for at least of each of the following items listed below (that are "directly" relevant to your topic or issue): – Hint: Go to the library, peruse their handouts, and get to know the librarians – they know everything. – Some of this exercise may be accomplished using a home computer.
All of it may be accomplished at the Thomas Cooper Library on campus
and using their terminals and in consultation with their handouts and
librarians. Click on – See the list of reading sources for contemporary affairs in the syllabus for differentiating between newspapers, popular magazines, foreign-policy oriented journals, etc. Or click on MAINSTREAM SOURCES and ALTERNATIVE SOURCES in the left column above. – Understand the distinction between a URL/website address (e.g., the website for an article from The New York Times begins – If for some reason you are having difficulty finding one of the sources, especially electronically (because the helpful hints aren't working), then use a "search engine" to search for one. There are a ton of search engines: like yahoo, alta vista, google, dogpile, ... (ask people). You can bring them up on the internet by usually typing, for example, www.yahoo.com. And then put your topic in parentheses, such as "foot_and_mouth disease" in the search area. You should come up with lots of "hits" (or responses), and you need to look them over but eventually you should find an article from an appropriate electronic source. In this case you should mention the search engine you used under "Website/Database"__the search engine is the database for the website (so put both of them down). – There are also websites that provide links to lots of other sources that are great for finding information. A great place to begin is the "Politics Navigator" section of the New York Times website at http://www.nytimes.com/library/politics/polpoints.html (If you have never been to their website, you will first have to register–it’s free and quick). Also, click RECOMMENDED LINKS above.One "electronic" American news(paper) article - preferably an
article from a major paper such as New York Times, Washington Post, etc.
Hint: Lexus-Nexus should be useful for this. One "electronic" foreign newspaper article - Hint: Lexus-Nexus should be useful for this. 2. Electronic foreign newspaper article. One "print" and one "electronic" popular magazine article - such as Newsweek or New Republic. Hint: Infotrac, Lexus-Nexus (especially for electronic); Public Affairs Information Service, Readers’ Guide Abstracts (especially for print) 3. Print magazine article. 4. Electronic magazine article. One "print" and one "electronic" article from a foreign policy-oriented journal - such as Foreign Policy or World Policy Journal. Hint: Infotrac, (especially for electronic); International Political Science Abstracts, Public Affairs Information Service, Social Science Abstracts (especially for print) 5. Print foreign policy-oriented journal article. 6. Electronic foreign policy-oriented journal article. Author: One "print" and one "electronic" academic journal article - usually in a quarterly, such as Diplomatic History, Political Science Quarterly, International Security, International Studies Quarterly. Hint: International Political Science Abstracts (especially for print version), Infotrac, Project MUSE, etc. 7. Print academic article. 8. Electronic academic journal article. One book - Hint: USCAN. 9. Book. One "print" and one "electronic" book review (a substantial book review of at least 250 words of the above book) - Hint: Book Review Digest (for print), Infotrac, Lexus-Nexus (for electronic). 10. Print Book Review 11. Electronic Book Review Two articles/documents and homepages from organizations, one IGO (International Governmental Organization) and one NGO (Private or Non-Government Organization) – See the library’s handout on how to identify a good (valid) website. 12. IGO Article and Homepage 13. NGO Article and Homepage Organization Name: One "print" and one "electronic" U.S. government document – Hint: CIS (Congressional Universe), Lexus-Nexus, USCAN, etc. 14. Print Government Document. 15. Electronic Government Document:
[attach each of the cover pages/sheets [if you have any questions, email me at
rosati@sc.edu] 
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