Political Science Research Guide
Federal Government Documents
The NCSU Libraries has an extensive collection of Federal government
documents. Those that have been published since 1976 can be searched in
electronic databases, including the libraries' on-line catalog. The
most comprehensive of these electronic versions of the Monthly Catalog of
U.S. Government Publications is available from OCLC.
The D. H. Hill Library Federal documents collection contains approximately
86% of the publications contained in the Monthly Catalog.
Many of the publications in the library's Federal documents collection are
older than 1976 and can not be searched electronically. For material
issued prior to 1976, use the printed Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government
Publications shelved in the U.S. Documents Reference area on the 2d floor, north tower, to obtain call numbers for this material.
The Federal documents collection is shelved in the 2d floor tower stack
areas of the library. The collection is arranged by a separate
classification system -- the Superintendent of Documents (or SuDoc)
classification scheme -- which arranges material by the government agency
responsible for the publication. Such an arrangement is not good for
browsing the collection since many agencies may have published books on a
given topic.
The caution not to rely solely on electronic databases to locate journal articles -- the fact that they do not access older material -- is equally relevant with respect to government documents. The federal government is releasing more information only in electronic format (as the examples below illustrate), but no agency is converting older government information in a comprehensive, systematic manner. To be comprehensive in your searches for research sources, you should not overlook the older printed indexes to government documents.
Examples:
-
The 9/11 Commission report : final report of the National Commission on
Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. (2004, 567 p.)
- U.S. Docs. Y 3.2:T 27/2/FINAL
- Electronic access: GPO Access link
-
Russia's transition to democracy and U.S.-Russia relations :
unfinished business : hearing before the Subcommittee on Europe of the
Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred
Eighth Congress, first session, September 30, 2003. (2003, 54 p.)
- U.S. Docs. Y 4.IN 8/16:R 92/13
- Electronic access: GPO PURL
-
The Middle East in 2015 : the impact of regional trends on U.S.
strategic planning / Judith Share Yaphe. Washington, D.C. : National Defense
University Press (2003, 237 p.)
- U.S. Docs. D 5.402:M 58
- Electronic access: GPO PURL
-
The emerging American voter : an examination of the increase in the
Black vote in November 1998 / U.S. Bureau of the Census, Population Division
working paper ; no. 44 (2001, 1 vol.)
- U.S. Docs. Microfiche C 3.223/27:44
-
The Philippines : present political status and its role in the new
Asia : hearing before the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of
the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh
Congress, first session, March 6, 2001. (2001, 39 p.)
- U.S. Docs. Y 4.F 76/2:S.HRG.107-20
-
Report on the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, February-March
2000 / Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (2000, 13
p.)
- U.S. Docs. Y 4.SE 2:K 99/2000
-
The News media and peace processes : the Middle East and northern
Ireland / U.S. Institute of Peace (2001, 54 p.)
- U.S. Docs. Y 3.P 31:19/NO.37
-
Country reports on human rights practices
- U.S. Docs. Y 4.F 76/2:H 88/12/yr., 1979 to
date
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