government publications and research_what you need to know 2015 (7)
TRANSCRIPT
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September 2015
Government Publications for Research-- What You Need to Know as a Super Searcher!!
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Part of the DeVry Library Services’“Live Lecture Series”
September 2015
Presented by:Dr. Mary Howrey Miramar, FL Campus Library Director
3September 2015
(1) What are government publications and how important are they for learning/research?
(2) What types of sources and information are published by the— U.S. federal government? State and Local government? International agencies? Other countries?
(3) Are government publications considered primary or secondary sources of information?
(4) How does the researcher strategically search online for government information?
(5) How does the researcher evaluate the credibility of the information found in government publications?
(6) How do I cite government publications in my APA References List?
(7) Does the “right to information” apply to all types of U.S. government information? You discuss and debate!!
Key “Live Lecture” Concepts
4September 2015
The U.S. government, state and local government, international agencies and foreign governments release information intended for their own use or for public use. (Definition)
These types of documents are an excellent source of information for your DeVry Education Group writing assignments and senior research projects.
Examples of government publications are found on the U.S. Census Bureau website.
What is a Government Publication?
5September 2015
http://www.census.gov/econ/census/
Economic Census from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Website
6September 2015
http://www.usgovernmentmanual.gov/(S(mzi0jbxiozhekk3aorycjfnp))/Home.aspx
Starting Point for Research-- The U.S. Government Manual
Print edition published annually
Available for sale from the GPO
GPO Bookstore is found at—https://bookstore.gpo.gov/
7September 2015
US Government Manual is known as the Official handbook of the Federal Government.
This annual resource provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, as well as quasi-official agencies, international organizations in which the United States participates, boards, commissions, and committees.
Each agency's description consists of a list of principal officials; a summary statement of the agency's purpose and role in the Federal Government; a brief history of the agency, including its legislative or executive authority; and a description of consumer activities, contracts and grants, employment, and publications.
Information Contained in The U.S. Government Manual
8September 2015
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC-- 1861- “The World’s Largest Publisher”
Credit: Tom Williams / Roll Call Photos Inc. / Newscom / Universal Images GroupRights Managed / For Education Use Only
9September 2015
U.S. Government Printing Office…Then
Summary:A printer watches over a printing press at the Government Printing Office in Washington, DC, early 20th Century
Credit:FPG / Getty Images / Universal Images GroupRights Managed / For Education Use Only
Old Style Printing Press
10September 2015
GPO and the FDsys Service…Now (4:16 min.) (YouTube Video)
https://youtu.be/G7QWBjRMse4
September 2009---GPO employees launched GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys) in 2009. This system is a one-stop site to authentic, published government information. A user can easily search for Congressional Bills, Hearing Reports and the other documents of our democracy. www.fdsys.gov
11September 2015
Most important government reports and legal documents are in digital format and accessible online through the FDsys Service .
For historical research, there is also a nation-wide system of 1,200 Federal Depository Libraries (FDLP) open to the public that is supported through the Government Printing Office (GPO). FDLP services offered are available at no charge.
GPO Digital Publications and the Federal Depository Libraries (FDLP)
12September 2015
Topics of interest--
Economy History of the United States
Population and demographics
Business and consumer protection
Education Housing Public policy
Congress and legislation
Environment International Trade
Science
Courts and laws Executive branch and the President
Jobs and unemployment
Statistics
Criminal justice system
Foreign policy and foreign relations
Military services Taxation
Disasters and emergencies
Health National Security Travel and immigration
Sources and Types of Government Information from the U.S.
Search Tip:
Use http://usa.gov to search for U.S. government publications.
13September 2015
https://www.usa.gov/
USA.gov Search Engine
14September 2015
U.S. State and Local Government—
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/stategov/stategov.html (Library of Congress)
http://govscan.com (Google custom search)
http://www.statelocalgov.net/
https://webapps.icma.org/govsites/ (International City/County Management Association)
State Agencies Database (American Library Association)
http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/State_Agency_DatabasesIn every US State and the District of Columbia, agencies are creating databases of useful information - information on businesses, licensed professionals, plots of land, even dates of fish stocking. Some of this content is available on search engines, but much of it is part of the invisible. Since July 2007, librarians and other government information specialists have been working on identifying and annotating these databases in one place
U.S. State and Local Government Publications
15September 2015
Library of Congress State Government Information Web Page
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/stategov/stategov.html
16September 2015
According to the Library of Congress, foreign government publications include “all those issued under authority of any legislative body, executive or judicial department, ministry, bureau, agency, independent office, court, commission, or officer of any government.” (Source: Library of Congress Collections Policy Statement, November 2008)
International Organizations such as—
European Union http://europa.eu/index_en.htm
United Nations http://www.un.org/en/index.html
Organization of American States (OAS) http://www.oas.org/en/default.asp
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/
World Trade Organization (WTO) https://www.wto.org/
International Agency Government Publications
18September 2015
Foreign Governments such as— Australia http://www.australia.gov.au/ Brazil http://www.brasil.gov.br/ Canada http://www.canada.ca/en/ Israel http://www.gov.il/firstgov/english Japan http://www.japan.go.jp/ Liberia http://www.micatliberia.com/ Russia http://government.ru/en/ Nations of the World/Library of Congresshttp://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/nations.phpProvides links to information about constitutions, branches of government, legal guides and general information for countries. This page is maintained by the Law Library of Congress.
Foreign Government Publications
19September 2015
Library of Congress Nations of the World Web Page (from the Law Library Division)
http://www.loc.gov/law/help/guide/nations.php
20September 2015
Primary sources In the humanities, these are contemporary accounts of an event, written by
someone who experienced or witnessed the event in question.. These original documents (i.e., they are not about another document or account).
Examples are:
diaries letters memoirs journals speeches manuscripts Congressional hearings interviews.
Published pieces such as newspaper or magazine articles (as long as they are written soon after the fact and not as historical accounts), photographs, audio or video recordings, research reports in the natural or social sciences, or original literary or theatrical works are also considered as primary sources.
In the sciences, primary sources involve data collection and field work which is original in nature and based on gaining insight into the research topic through gathering of information from secondary sources.
Primary Sources of Information + Examples
21September 2015
Secondary sources
The function of these is to interpret primary sources, and so can be described as at least one step removed from the event or phenomenon under review.
Secondary source materials, interpret, assign value to, conjecture upon, and draw conclusions about the events reported in primary sources.
Examples include—
journal articles magazines books encyclopedias textbooks radio or television documentaries conference proceedings.
A useful website to visit is– “What’s the difference between primary and secondary sources? http://answers.library.cofc.edu/faq/46619
A YouTube video on this topic is found at-- https://youtu.be/cqXHO7bTPnw
Secondary Sources + Examples
22September 2015
Searching Strategically for Government Information and Publications
Fdsys Search (2009- )For free online government resources from the three branches of the U.S. federal government, search the Federal Digital System database-- http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
**Fifty different collections of Federal government information are available through the FDsys search engine.
GoogleFrom Google.com, add search term(s) and .gov into the Google search box.In your Google search results, examine the website URLs retrieved and responsible corporate authors for .gov resources.Other countries and local government resources will likely be retrieved using this search strategy.
23September 2015
FDsys Website: An Entry Point to Major U.S. Government Publications
Note the entry points for Congressional Hearings
Federal Register,Not
You can access a number of major U.S. government publications from the Browse menu on the Fdsys homepage.
24September 2015
Evaluating the Credibility of Government Information Found Online
Criteria for evaluating government information include:
Authority: Who wrote the information on the publication or website? What makes the author an authority? What credentials does he or she have that makes him or her reliable?
Accuracy: Are there links right on the website that one can follow in order to verify that the information presented is accurate? How does this information compare to other recognized resources?
Objectivity: Why was this site or page created? What is the purpose of the publication or website? Who is paying for this website?
Currency: Is the latest information available in this publication or on this web site to support research for scholars and practitioners?
Coverage: What topics are covered and to what depth? Are both sides of an issued covered?
25September 2015
Citing Government Publications Using APA Publication Manual 6th ed. Part 1
Reference Examples
(Are these References cited considered to be primary or secondary sources?)
Documents from Federal Agencies
An entire work:
Library of Congress. (2011). Indonesia: a country study. Retrieved http://www.loc.gov/item/2011038834/
A journal article from a government web site:
Merrill, J. E. & Carey, K. B. (2016). Drinking over the lifespan: focus on college ages. Alcohol Research: Current
Reviews (38). Retrieved from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:
http://www.arcr.niaaa.nih.gov/arcr/arcr381/article12.htm
A government report:
U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2015, August). Trends in U.S. and Chinese economic engagement.
(Publication No. GAO-15-724). Retrieved http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/671988.pdf
26September 2015
Congressional Materials & Legal Resources
A Congressional hearing:
Implementation of caregiving assistance: Are we getting it right?: Hearing before the Subcommittee on
Health of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, House of Representatives, 112 th Cong. (Serial No.
112-4). (2011). Retrieved from GPO’s Federal Digital System:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-112hhrg65870/pdf/CHRG-112hhrg65870.pdf
A Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas Case:
Lawrence v. State of Texas, 240 S.W.3d 912 Tex. Crim. App. (2007, November 21). No. PD-0236-07.
Retrieved from Lexis/Nexis Academic Database. (LEXIS 1672)
http://proxy.devry.edu/login?url=http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/lnacademic/
Citing Government Publications Using APA Publication Manual 6th ed. Part 2
27September 2015
Let’s discuss this question!!
Open government—”the principle that the processes of government should be available for public scrutiny and criticism”
Government transparency—Transparency Act of 2006 created a publicly accessible online database of all federal funding (except for classified national security matters)
Information access and the Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA). 1967- present http://www.foia.gov/
National security issues, past and present(Daniel Ellsburg, Iran-Contra Affair, Julian Assage, WikiLeaks, Edward Snowden, Hillary Clinton and e-mail server, David Petraeus)
Does the “Right to Information” in the United States, a democracy “for and by the people,”apply to all types of government information?
28September 2015
Freedom of Information Website
29September 2015
Databases to consult for government information on the National Library Services http://library.devry.edu/library-databases.html
Criminal Justice with Full-Text (Ebsco)
Education Resource Information Center (ERIC) (Ebsco)
Lexis-Nexis Academic (Legal cases, law reviews)
Military and Government Collection (Ebsco)
Statistical Abstract of the United States (Proquest)
Statistical Abstract of the World (Proquest)
DeVry Library Resources to Locate Government Publications
30September 2015
http://library.devry.edu/library-databases.html
DeVry National Library Services Databases Web Page Entry Point
31September 2015
HealthFinder.gov Search Engine http://healthfinder.gov/
MedlinePlus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
National Institutes of Health http://www.nih.gov/
PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
United States Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS) http://www.hhs.gov/
U.S. DHHS. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion http://health.gov/
Health and Medical Government Information Websites
33September 2015
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information. This website provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public.
Data.gov is the one stop website to find and download free government data in raw, structured formats. Federal agencies are proactively posting data on data.gov http://www.data.gov/
FedStatshttp://fedstats.sites.usa.gov/This website provides access to the full range of official statistical information produced by the Federal Government without having to know in advance which Federal agency produces which particular statistic. There is convenient searching and linking capabilities to more than 100 U.S. government agencies that provide data and trend information on such topics as economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production, etc.
Other Core Government Publication Websites (Part 1)
34September 2015
http://fedstats.sites.usa.gov/
FedStats Website
Search box for locating federalstatistical information from 1997 to the present
35September 2015
Science.govhttp://www.science.gov/Science.gov searches over 60 databases and over 2200 selected websites from 15 federal agencies, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information including research and development results.
State Agencies Databaseshttp://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/State_Agency_DatabasesIn every US State and the District of Columbia, agencies are creating databases of useful information - information on businesses, licensed professionals, plots of land, even dates of fish stocking. Some of this content is available on search engines, but much of it is part of the invisible. Since July 2007, librarians and other government information specialists have been working on identifying and annotating these databases in one place
U.S. Census Bureauhttp://www.census.gov/The Census Bureau's mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the American people and economy.
Other Core Government Publication Websites (Part 2)
36September 2015
GODORT Wiki of State Agency Databasesfrom the American Library Association
37September 2015
Books Available From DeVry Library Services August 2015
Manual to Online Public Records. 3rd ed. By Sankey, Michael L.Facts on Demand Press, 2013. ISBN: 9781889150604Call Number (MIRMNSTKS JK 468 .P76 S36 2013)
United States Government Internet Directory. By Garvin, Peggy.Bernan Press, December 2010. ISBN: 9781598884227 Database: eBrary (ProQuest)
Government Documents Librarianship: A Guide for the Neo-Depository Era. By Ennis, Lisa. Information Today, January 2007. ISBN: 9781573879408 Database: eBrary (ProQuest)
United States Government Information: Policies and Sources. By Peter Hernon and others. Greenwood Press, 2002. ISBN: 9781563089794Database: Books 24x7 Skillsoft
Books on Government Publications in DeVry Print and eBook Databases
38September 2015
Contact Ask-A-Librarianhttp://library.devry.edu/ask-a-librarian.html
Contact your campus Librarianhttp://library.devry.edu/library-locations.html
Contact Dr. Mary Howrey Phone: 954-499-9851E-mail: [email protected]
Check with your nearest Federal Depository Libraryhttp://catalog.gpo.gov/fdlpdir/FDLPdir.jsp
If you have questions or need further information about Government Publications…
39September 2015
National Constitution Centerhttp://constitutioncenter.org/
Constitution Facts.comhttp://www.constitutionfacts.com/
Constitution Day.comhttp://www.constitutionday.com/
Library of Congress Web Guide for the U.S. Constitutionhttp://loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Constitution.html
Celebrate Constitution Day 2015 on September 17
40September 2015
Signing of the Constitution, 1787
Making HistorySigning of the Constitution of the USA.
CreditMPI / Getty Images / Universal Images Group
Rights Managed / For Education Use Only