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Political Science

What is Political Science?

                                                                           Sign that says voting day surrounded by rolls of I voted stickers

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Political science is the study of human behavior as it relates to political situations. It involves the examination of institutions, processes, people, ideas and policies. The study of political science develops cultural literacy, critical thinking and other useful skills-- Description from Political Science department website, accessed 07/15/13.

 

Key Terms to Try

Before you start searching, you must identify relevant key terms for your topic. Below are a few examples of key terms to try for political science:

Politics Government Capitalism
Congress Lobbyist Electoral College
Elections Political Activism Constitution
Republic Socialism Democracy

Here a few examples of politics-related search terms that you can use to find items in the library catalog. Note that adding the word "AND" will combine the key terms to give a narrower set of results:

Tips and tricks:

  • In general, search using one or two nouns, combined by AND or OR.
  • Do more than one search, using different words that cover the same concept.
  • If you find too much information, add a word. If you don't find enough, take one out or use a broader term.
  • Use an asterisk (*) to search for variations on a word. For example, searching for student* will bring up records on student and students.

Need some help with figuring out a research topic or the research process in general? We have guides for those too!

Search for Resources Here





Search Tips:

*OneSearch doesn't show you everything! Some databases, like those from EBSCO, may be excluded so you may need to search them separately.

  • To find Books, e-books and reference materials --> Use SDCCD Books+, A-Z Databases, or OneSearch
  • To find Textbooks for your class--> Use Course Reserves
  • To find Articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers --> Use A-Z Databases, EBSCO Articles, or OneSearch
  • To find Periodicals by title --> Use Journal Finder or OneSearch
  • To find Videos and media --> Use Videos link, A-Z Databases (choose Films on Demand, Films Platform, Swank, or Kanopy), or OneSearch

Off-campus Access Link

To get access to library resources from off-campus:

  • Students: When you click on a database/ebook link, you will be prompted for your CSID number and last name. Type it exactly the way you registered. You must be taking at least one City College class and have paid your tuition and fees. Problems? Email citylib@sdccd.edu.
  • Staff: You are not automatically added to the system from Peoplesoft. To request a login, or if you are having problems, email citylib@sdccd.edu.
  • Faculty: If you are currently teaching, you are automatically added to the system from ISIS. If you aren’t, or you are having problems, email citylib@sdccd.edu.

Common issues:

  • Some databases require that your browser be set to accept all cookies.
  • Security software may interfere with a database's user authentication protocol. You may have to temporarily disable it in order to connect to a database.
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