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Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Social Work

This research guide will take you through many of the resources available for social work at the Loyola University Chicago Libraries.

Tips for policy research

Here are some tips to make it easier to find information on your policy/act:

  • Be sure that you have /find the formal name,  nickname, and numbers for your act (House Number, Senate Number, . . .) these will be used in different sources.  For example: newspapers will refer to the nickname and formal government sources will refer to the formal name.  
  • Find the text of the act - this will tell you all the act says, where the responsibility for it's actions lay and what the results of it's work is reported. and how often it is reported.    Seeing the reports will show you how effective it has been.
  • Look at the Hearings for the act, they will include the amended transcripts of the testimony, evidence and discussions of the bill.  This will tell you why the bill was proposed and what things it is to address.
  • Remember that later amendments may be added to your act.  You should be aware of these and how they change the act. as well as who and why it was changed.

Topic Overviews

These will help you identify, from policy area articles, laws and acts related to them:

National Legal Resources

Global Resources

Illinois

City of Chicago

A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. (Wikipedia Some of their reports can also be found in the databases listed on this page.

Other newspapers can be found on the News Resources Guide.

Public Opinion Resources

Data Sources

Journals

Law Infographic

You can look at a  larger version of the image 

For more information about government information:

Beginner's Guide to Federal Statutes