A policy is an an intervention that aims to mitigate or solve a public problem. As you do your research, consider the actors/groups involved in policy formation and influencing the agenda and the information sources they create to communicate policies. Actors may include: special interests or advocacy groups, government officials and organizations, academic scholars, think tanks, media, etc.
1. Recognize, define, and quantify the problem
CQ Researcher gives reports providing analysis and commentary on current and controversial issues in the news. Topics covered include health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
Large collection of US newspapers, many in full text, as well as news sites, blogs, and newswires from the 1980s to the present (dates vary by title). Includes The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal. Part of Global Newsstream.
U.S. and international news sources offering viewpoints on local, regional and global issues. Date coverage varies with individual newspaper.
2. Identify the objectives and define the details of the policy or program. Consider:
3. Collect evidence and data
3. Examine current and alternative policies
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GenderWatch is a repository of important historical perspectives on the evolution of the women's movement, men's studies, the transgender community and the changes in gender roles over the years. Publications include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books and NGO, government and special reports.
Environment Complete offers deep coverage in applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. The database contains citations for articles from domestic and international journals, monographs and conference papers of the North American Association of Environmental Education.
ERIC is the source for information on all aspects of education for all age groups, including counseling, tests, and measurement. ERIC indexes journal articles, books, theses, curriculi, conference papers, standards and guidelines.
Over 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, open access journals (PMC), and online books and reference sources (Bookshelf). Useful For: systematic reviews, clinical trials, Trending Articles, Cited By
The Sociological Abstracts database abstracts and indexes the international literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. It provides abstracts of journal articles and citations to book reviews drawn from thousands of serials publications, and also provides abstracts of books, book chapters, dissertations, and conference papers.
Women's Studies International is a composite of ten contributing databases covering women's studies, women's issues, and gender-focused scholarship from throughout the world. Corresponds to Women's Studies Abstracts (1984-); New Books on Women & Feminism (1987-); Women of Color and Southern Women 1975-1988, and annual supplements (1989-); WAVE: Women's Audiovisuals in English: A Guide to Nonprint Resources in Women's Studies, and other databases and print publications. It indexes journal articles, books, book reviews, and audiovisual materials relating to women's studies, women's issues, and gender-focused scholarship.
Business Source Premier indexes over 5,000 academic journals, trade journals, and business magazines covering all business disciplines, including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance, and economics. It also includes collections of industry reports, company profiles, and country economic reports.