POL JP08: National Security, Intelligence, and Law Enforcement Reform Post 9/11 

You have little time to gather and evaluate your information sources, read and digest them, develop your central arguments, and write and proofread your paper. Narrowing the focus of your topic will help make your project more manageable.

Discuss your topic with your advisor or with one of the librarians to learn what resources are available to support your research.

Tips for narrowing your topic.:

• Identify a central problem and think of ways you might suggest to solve it.
• Focus on one or two countries/states, groups or organizations, specific political events or particular policy initiatives.
• Explore your topic in reference works, such as encyclopedias, almanacs and handbooks, to see what facets of your topic might make an interesting angle for a paper.
• Choose a particular point of view or theoretical lens by which to see your problem as a way to focus your paper.
• Decide if you have the necessary language and/or analytical skills to complete your project in a timely manner.
• Don't wait until the the last minute! Start thinking about your topic ideas early and give yourself the time to explore them.

Annual Review of Political Science

• Recent scholarly essays written by respected researchers in political science
• Browse by year or do a keyword search

Council on Foreign Relations

• Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs
• Browse by region/country and by topic

CQ Researcher

• Explores hot issues in U.S. Politics
• Reports are written by experienced journalists and experts
• Provides pro & con arguments

Facts.com - Issues & Controversies

• Provides background on contemporary hot topics

International Crisis Group

• Independent, nonprofit, multinational organization working to prevent and resolve deadly conflict
• Good source for recent information on conflicts worldwide

National Center for Policy Analysis Idea House

• Nonrofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization seeking to promote private alternatives to government regulation
• Provides commentary on a variety of public policy issues

RAND - Research Areas

• Features various topics currently in the news or highly relevant to current public policy debate
• Provides summaries and links to related RAND research

Cambridge Scientific Abstracts - Discovery Guides

• Brief topical reports on selected issues of interest

LexisNexis Hot Bills & Topics

• Provides links to hot topic bills recently enacted and currently under consideration by Congress

Google Directory: Society > Issues

• Useful Web directory that can lead to topics for discussion and term papers

Yahoo! Government > Politics > Political Issues

• Useful Web directory that can lead to potential topics

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