Skip to Main Content
Skidmore College main website

Lucy Scribner Library

Political Science: Reference

Begin your research

Encyclopedias, as with other reference works, such as dictionaries, bibliographies, atlases, can porvide the user with needed background information on a topic or subject. 

To make the research process go more smoothly gather the following relevant information on your topic/subject/issue:

  • terminology (including definitions and spelling) 
  • time frame
  • location
  • names of people or authors 

Use these reference sources and begin your research in the databases or in the library catalog with the words you need to be successful. 

Government Reference Databases

Scroll over a database for a description.

Political Science Encyclopedias

Political Handbook of the World