WISER Social Sciences: Politics & International Relations Gillian Beattie (Social Science Library)...

WISER Social Sciences:Politics & International Relations

Gillian Beattie(Social Science Library)

Jane Rawson(Vere Harmsworth Library)

Wiser Social Sciences: Politics & International Relations

In this session:

• General overview of the electronic resources available for Politics & International Relations

• Demonstrations of some key bibliographic, news, and full-text resources


Accessing e-resources• All Oxford’s e-resources can be accessed via

OxLIP: http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip/• On campus:

– Simply click on the link to the resource, or use ATHENS password as required

• Off campus:– Use ATHENS password, or connect to Oxford

network (departmental server, college server, or VPN)

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/oxlip/




E-resources for Politics and IR• Bibliographic databases

– International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS)

– Social Science Citation Index (Web of Knowledge)– PAIS International and Worldwide Political Science

Abstracts (both available via CSA Illumina)• News sources

– Ethnic News Watch– LexisNexis News Service– New York Times Archive– Times Digital Archive


E-resources for Politics and IR

• Full text (articles, reports, official documents)– E-journals and e-books– BOPCAS (British Official Publications)– Columbia International Affairs Online– Declassified Documents Reference System (US)– Digital National Security Archive (US)

• Resources are listed on OxLIP both by Subject and by Title.


CSA Illumina

• Access to a wide range of bibliographic databases, including:– PAIS International (Public Affairs Information Service)– Worldwide Political Science Abstracts

• Search across a general subject area (e.g. social sciences), or within specific database(s)


Searching CSA

• Quick search– Use * for truncation– Multiple words will be treated as a phrase

• Advanced search– Allows combined searching across a number of fields– Limit to latest updates, journal articles only, or English

language only– Specify how your results are presented


Working with your search results

• Use the tabs to see results by type, or click the ‘+’ to see results broken down by database

• From any individual record:– Check electronic and print availability in Oxford– View the complete reference, including abstract– Run a new search using one or more of the article

descriptors



• Search tools:– Combine searches– Search history– Alerts

• Outputting your results:– Sort by date or relevance– Select results to save, print or email– Results can be imported into reference management

software (e.g. EndNote, RefWorks)


LexisNexis News Service

• News coverage from approximately 12,000 publications worldwide, including:– National and local newspapers– Press releases– Transcripts of TV broadcasts– Newswires– Statistical bulletins– Magazines and trade journals


Searching LexisNexis

• News search– Keyword searching– Restrict by indexes to certain types of

publication– Select sources to search (language and place

of publication)– Choose timeframe



• Sort by relevance or publication date• Select by source • Narrow the search by adding another search term• Use the ‘Next Steps’ menu to edit the search, perform a

new search, or retrieve original results• Print, email or download (save as Word Doc, HTML, pdf)

selected results• Click through to see the full text


Other search functions

• Search particular types of information other than news

• General search provides more flexibility:– Power search with Boolean operators or natural

language– Easy search (but doesn’t allow you to select sources)

• Search for particular sources (browse or find) and perform searches within those alone


United States declassified documents

• Two full text databases of declassified United States government documents– Digital National Security Archive– Declassified Documents Reference System

• DNSA has fewer documents but more functionality


Digital National Security Archive

• Published by the National Security Archive, an independent non-governmental research institute and library which collects and publishes declassified government documents obtained through the US Freedom of Information Act

• Over 60,000 documents arranged in 27 collections


Searching the DNSA

• Quick search across all collections• Document search

– Variety of search options– Restrict by classification or type of document (lists

provided)– Search particular collections– Look for specific documents if you know the reference

number, creator or recipient



• Click through for more information or to access the full text as pdf

• Full record provides links to background information from the Archive’s glossary or to subject searches

• Select items and view as marked list• Email, print, download (as plain text or to export to

bibliographic software such as EndNote and RefWorks), or save to ‘My Archive’ (personalised area where you can save records within the DNSA for the future)


Background Searches

• Bibliography search– Searches the bibliography of materials used by the

Archive’s researchers when compiling the collections• Chronology search

– Provides summaries of key events pertaining to your search

• Glossary search– Allows you to search for basic descriptive information

about individuals or terms


Declassified Documents Reference System

• Online access to over 500,000 pages of previously classified government documents


Searching DDRS

• Basic search– Keyword or full-text

• Advanced search– Combine search terms– Limit by various criteria



• Click through for full-text (scans of documents)• Sort by date issued or relevancy• Revise search if unhappy with results• Select records and view marked list (but no

options for exporting)• View and review search history


Further help

• Mark Janes (Social Sciences Subject Consultant) [email protected]

• Gillian Beattie (Research Support, Social Science Library) [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

WISER Social Sciences: Politics & International Relations Gillian Beattie (Social Science Library)...

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