Gov 24 Research Guide
Political Theory and Utopia
Government 24
Sources for Research
Ginny Hopcroft ghopcrof@bowdoin.edu
October 2007
Library Catalogs
Bowdoin College Library Catalog
Access to Bowdoin Library's holdings of books, videos, government documents, etc.
MaineCat
Includes the holdings of most Maine libraries. Books arrive from Colby and Bates in two days.
NExpress
Permits searching the combined collections of Colby, Bates, Bowdoin, Williams, Northeastern, Middlebury and Wellesley for both books and articles.
WorldCat
Allows for searching the catalogs of many large libraries worldwide.
Indexes/Databases
Academic Search Premier
An index to scholarly journal articles in several fields, general interest magazines and newspapers.
Essay and General Literature Index
An index to chapters in books.
Philosopher’s Index
An index to the scholarly literature of philosophy—peer reviewed articles, books, reviews and dissertations.
World Wide Political Science Abstracts
An index to scholarly journal articles, books, dissertations and reviews in political science.
Research Tips
1) Start with keyword searching in any electronic database or index, including the library catalog.
2) When you find a relevant record for a book or article, check the subject headings/descriptors for other search terms to enter.
3) Read bibliographies and footnotes of books and articles for additional relevant information.
4) Evaluate web sites carefully for accuracy, timeliness and authority.
5) Begin research EARLY.
6) For an overview of the research process, including database searching, please see Get Started with Your Research.
