PS 195 - Special Topics: Scope/Methods of Political Science - Political Science Research - LibGuides at Wartburg College: Vogel Library

Library Class Materials 9/22

Library session PP slides
Use this link to follow along online.

Downloadable PP slides
Use this link to download a copy of the slides to your computer.

Peer Review Process

Citation:

Soni B, Kumar A. (2021). Peer review process - ascertaining quality and integrity in science [Infographic]. Qualiten Insight. https://www.qualitenpress.com/qualiten-insight/infographics/qualiten-09004000002-infographics-journal-peer-review-process/

Peer Review Process Example

Thank you to Dr. Szarejko for allowing me to use one of his most recent publications as an example of the peer review process.

Step 1: Screening and Peer Review Preparation by Journal
This is a copy of Dr. Szarejko's manuscript he submitted to Millennium: Journal of International Studies.
Step 2: Review by External Subject Matter Experts
Reviewer 1 added their revisions in Step 3's decision letter.
Reviewer 2 chose to upload a document with their revisions. The attached PDF is what Dr. Szarejko received.
Step 3: Interim Decision by Handling Editor (Journal's Editorial Board member)
This is the email Dr. Szarejko received telling him that his manuscript was reviewed. The review board asked him to revise and resubmit.
Step 4: Revision by Author
This is the first revision Dr. Szarejko's manuscript with his response memo to accompany his revised manuscript.
Step 2 for Revision 1: Review by External Subject Matter Experts
Reviewer 1 did not have any comments.
Reviewer 2 attached a document with their revisions.
Step 3 for Revision 1: Interim Decision by Handling Editor (Journal's Editorial Board member)
This is the email he received saying his revised manuscript has been reviewed again.
Step 4 for Revision 1: Revision by Author
After taking Reviewer 2's feedback, Dr. Szarejko resubmitted this manuscript, labeled R2 for revision 2, with his revisions in bold.
Step 5: Final Decision by Handling Editor
The "congratulations!" email saying his second revision was accepted for publication.
Step 6: Production and Publication in Journal
This is the official online publication for Dr. Szarejko's article titled, "Foreign or Domestic? The Desecuritisation of Indian Affairs and Normativity in Securitisation Theory".

Peer Review Test

Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory This link opens in a new window
Lists publication details such as peer review status and databases the periodicals are accessed in for over 300,000 publications.

Parts of a scholarly article

Citation:

Sumy State University Library (2023). Structure of scientific texts [Infographic]. Sumy State University Library. https://library.sumdu.edu.ua/en/for-researcher/academic-writing/writing-scientific-text/the-structure-of-scientific-texts/823-the-structure-of-scientific-texts.html

How to read a scholarly article

Primary sources in Political Science

Finding primary sources in political science

What's a primary source in political science? It depends on the context of what it's being used for. Empirical research papers are considered a primary source in the sciences and social sciences.

Common political science primary sources include:

Journals, diaries, and memoirs.
Speeches.
Government documents like hearings, committee reports, and the Congressional Record.
Statistics, opinion polls, data.
Oral histories and interviews.
Photographs and films.
Posters and street art.
Pamphlets and other ephemera.
Websites and social media posts.

Citation: Leahy, S. (2023, September 12). Research guides: Political science: Primary sources. Retrieved Sep 19, 2023, from https://gouldguides.carleton.edu/c.php?g=146785&p=3698349

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Passed in 1967, FOIA "has provided the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions which protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement" (Office of Information Policy, n.d.).

Below is an informational video from the Dept of Justice. It is from 2018.

Citation: Office of Information Policy. (n.d.). FOIA.gov (freedom of information act) learn. www.foia.gov. Retrieved Sep 19, 2023, from https://www.foia.gov/about.html

Resources

CIA FOIA Reading Room (historical collections)
These are curated historical collections.
CIA FOIA Reading Room of declassified documents
Declassified FOIA requests are posted on the CIA website.
FBI FOIA Reading Room of declassified documents
Like the CIA FOIA Reading Room, this is hosts assorted scanned documents from the FBI.
Muckrock
This is not an official government source. It's a public website that helps users request information and then host the acquired documents.
National Security Archive by The George Washington University
"Founded in 1985 by journalists and scholars to check rising government secrecy, the National Security Archive combines a unique range of functions: investigative journalism center, research institute on international affairs, library and archive of declassified U.S. documents..."

Primary sources online and in print

Look for primary sources in print and online

Use "source" as a subject term keyword in searching OneSearch and WorldCat or use the name of the document type as one of your keywords (such as searching for Iowa women immigrant diaries).
Use "primary source," museum, archive, and/or site:org as a keyword with your topic on Google or another online search engine. The two examples below are different and yielded equally interesting results with primary sources: