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Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Political Science

Databases and useful links for research in Political Science.

PLSC 439: Contemporary Political Issues in International Relations – Nuclear Security

This guide is designed to support students in the completion of their research paper or policy memo on nuclear security. Below you will find resources and strategies to help you effectively conduct research, manage your information, and produce high-quality work.

Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original materials that provide firsthand accounts or direct evidence on a particular topic. In political science, these often include:

  • Newspaper or magazine articles
  • Books, pamphlets, government documents
  • Diaries, letters, manuscripts, speeches, interviews, relics, artifacts
  • Maps, archival materials, creative works
  • Art, visual materials, music, sound recordings, videos

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret, analyze, or critique primary sources. These include:

  • Scholarly journal articles
  • Books and book chapters
  • Policy analyses
  • Literature reviews
  • Documentary films or news analysis

Searching the Library Catalog

The library catalog is a great place to start your research. Here are some tips to make searching more effective:

  1. Make sure that you sign in. This allows you to see your access options for library materials, save searches, set notifications on saved searches, and save items to your favorites.
  2. Use Boolean operators if you're doing a keyword search. For example:
    • nuclear AND security AND policy - the catalog will return only materials that mention all three search terms.
    • nuclear disarmament AND (USA OR Russia) - the catalog will broaden your search to include materials that discuss either the USA or Russia alongside other instances of the term 'nuclear disarmament.'
    • "nuclear power" AND safety NOT "nuclear weapons" - the catalog will reduce your search results by returning materials that mention nuclear power and safety but do not mention nuclear weapons.
    • Make sure that you enter Boolean operators in all caps: AND, OR, NOT
  3. Use truncation and/or wildcards. For example:
    • Entering the search term politic* will return results for politics, political, politician etc.
      • another example: secur* will return results for security, securing, secure, etc.
    • Entering the search term wom?n will return results for woman, women
  4. Group your terms using parenthesis to do multiple searches at once. For example:
    • ("nuclear treaty" OR "nuclear agreement") AND (Russia OR USA) AND ratification
      • This search strategy targets discussions on the ratification of nuclear treaties or agreements specifically involving Russia or the USA.
  5. Narrow your results to a specific genre, place, or time. For example:
    • "nuclear espionage" AND "Cold War" AND (USA OR USSR)
      • Narrows down to espionage activities involving nuclear secrets during the Cold War between the USA and USSR.

Databases

Research Paper VS Policy Memo

Understanding the differences between a research paper and a policy memo is crucial, especially in academic and professional settings where both formats are commonly used. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

Feature Research Paper Policy Memo
Purpose Develops an argument, reviews literature Provides recommendations, summarizes findings
Audience Academic (professors, peers) Policymakers, government officials
Structure Thesis, literature review, analysis, conclusion Executive summary, problem definition, analysis, recommendations
Tone & Style Formal, analytical, evidence-based Concise, action-oriented, accessible
Citations Chicago or APA style references Footnotes or minimal in-text citations

Key Takeaways

  • Research Paper: Deeply analytical, often explores theoretical frameworks, and is designed to contribute broadly to scholarly knowledge.
  • Policy Memo: Action-oriented, designed for immediate practical application, and aims to be accessible to non-specialist decision-makers.

Each format serves a distinct purpose and is tailored to meet the needs of its intended audience, ensuring that the information is presented in the most effective manner possible.

Structuring an Argument

For a Research Paper:

  1. Introduction – Research question, significance.
  2. Literature Review – What have scholars said? Where is the gap?
  3. Analysis – Data, case studies, policy discussion.
  4. Conclusion – Findings and future directions.

Research Paper

  1. Purpose:

    • Goal: To explore, analyze, and discuss in-depth aspects of a specific topic.
    • Outcome: Contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the topic, often through original research or a comprehensive review of the literature.

  2. Audience:

    • Primarily academic, including scholars, researchers, and students.

  3. Structure:

    • Introduction: Presents the research question and thesis statement.
    • Literature Review: Discusses existing research and situates the current study within the scholarly context.
    • Methodology: Describes the methods used to gather and analyze data.
    • Results/Findings: Details the outcomes of the research.
    • Discussion: Interprets the results, discusses implications, and suggests future research.
    • Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and underscores the significance of the study.

  4. Style:

    • Formal and detailed, often lengthy.
    • Focuses on providing evidence and supporting arguments with data.

  5. Citations:

    • Extensive and thorough, following specific academic citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).

Structuring an Argument

For a Policy Memo:

  • Executive Summary – Main Point / Takeaway
  • Problem Statement – Define the issue / Background
  • Analysis – Data, scenarios, stakeholder perspectives / Evidence
  • Recommendations – Clear policy options with feasibility analysis / Conclusion and Implementation

Policy Memo

  1. Purpose:

    • Goal: To provide clear, concise advice and recommendations on a specific policy issue.
    • Outcome: Aims to influence decision-making or provide guidance to policymakers or stakeholders.

  2. Audience:

    • Policymakers, government officials, or other decision-makers often with limited time.
    • Needs to be immediately understandable and actionable.

  3. Structure:

    • Executive Summary: Brief overview of the memo’s purpose and main recommendations.
    • Background: Context and importance of the issue.
    • Problem Statement: Clear and concise description of the problem.
    • Analysis: Summary of the key findings that inform the recommendations.
    • Recommendations: Specific, actionable steps that the recipient can undertake.
    • Conclusion: Quick wrap-up emphasizing the urgency and importance of the recommended actions.

  4. Style:

    • Brief and to the point, typically no more than a few pages.
    • Uses clear, direct language and avoids jargon to ensure readability and quick comprehension.

  5. Citations:

    • Minimal; sources may be cited in brief and in a less formal style compared to academic papers.
    • Footnotes or endnotes may be used sparingly to reference sources without disrupting the flow of the document.