HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
The purpose of this guide is to help you locate reliable, credible online and print resources that support researching problems in international relations [IR] and related areas of study.
The following content elements exist:
How is this guide organized?
Use the tabs on the left to navigate to specific content. The tabs are divided into sections relating to types of sources or specific subject areas. Within each tab, there are text boxes containing links, often with descriptions, of particular resources. Text boxes on each page go from general or comprehensive resources to more specialized resources. Lists of resources within each text box are arranged in alphabetical order. The first tab [Home] has my contact information. The last tab contains links to additional research guides.
Where do I start?
This guide encompasses a significant amount of resources. If you are unsure where to begin, click on the “Background Information” tab and use these strategies:
Where do I go to find scholarly journal articles?
Click on the “Finding Articles in Databases” tab. A good place to begin is to choose the ProQuest Multiple database in the first text box. Its contents are updated daily and includes access to core scholarly journals in most areas of study, including IR. Additionally, the text boxes within the “Finding Articles in Databases” tab contain links to Key Databases in IR and Comparative Politics, Important Databases Related to IR, databases covering research about particular regions of the world, and comprehensive databases in other social and behavioral science disciplines. Most of these databases can be used to find scholarly journal articles. Collectively, they support a multidisciplinary approach to examining a topic.
I need to study a particular aspect of international relations.
Review the tabs of the guide that relate to an area of study in IR [e,g., International Environmental Affairs; International Law] and click on the link. The page will include general and specialized databases, statistical sources, web sites, and other resources that support researching specific areas of study in IR.
I need to understand what scholars are saying about a topic in IR and argue a particular position.
Click on the “Handbooks” tab under the relevant subject area tab [e.g., International Crime and Corruption]. Handbooks synthesize how scholars have investigated and debated specific research problems in IR. If there isn’t a handbook related to your topic or you need additional sources of information, go back to the “Finding Articles in Databases” tab, and search the ProQuest Multiple database or contact me [labaree@usc.edu].
I need information about a country.
Click on the "Country Information" tab. A good place to obtain thorough and current information about a country is to use the Europa World database described in the first text box. Additional information can be found by reviewing other sources listed on the page as well as the regional handbooks listed below the main "Country Information" tab.
What if I click on a link and it doesn't work?
Email me at labaree@usc.edu and let me know where the broken link is located. I will fix it as soon as possible [or let you know the source is no longer accessible].