Public Policy

Resources for the study of how governments make and implement decisions to address public problems.

Overview

Public policy refers to the set of decisions governments make to manage society, encompassing laws, regulations, and programs that address issues such as the economy, environment, and national security.

If you’re new to public policy research, the following is a basic introduction to the field, along with resources for students who want to know more about majoring in public and social policy.

Public policy creates standards, while compliance determines whether those standards are implemented in society.

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Background & Reference Sources

Background information is particularly important in public policy research. Reference sources help you understand key terms and concepts, place policies in their historical and social context, and learn how laws and regulations are made and carried out. This section highlights general and subject-specific reference resources important to public policy studies, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, and other resources that can help you quickly get started with research.

Because public policy draws insights from politics, economics, law, and sociology. Make sure to review reference sources from those disciplines.

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Public Policy Databases

The following is a list of the top subject-specific research databases for locating public policy reports and articles.

If your issue is related to U.S. Federal government policy, consider searching for reports from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). The CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and members of the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation.

The CRS also provides “Policy and Legislative Research for Congressional Staff: Finding Documents, Analysis, News, and Training,” a finding aid used by congressional aides for locating congressional documents, executive branch documents and information, news articles, policy analysis, contacts, and training for use in policy and legislative research.

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