Liaison to Humphrey School of Public Affairs & Carlson School of Management
This guide introduces you to the resources and services available for researchers in urban planning, environmental policy, public policy and management.
Gaining Insight: Exploring Disciplinary Research
Search the literature to learn about theories, frameworks, and evolution of thought within the discipline.
Handbooks, Encyclopedias, Bibliographies
- Oxford Handbooks OnlineOxford Handbooks contain peer-reviewed scholarly review articles in Archaeology, Business and Management, Classical Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics and Finance, History, Law, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, and Religion. Included are classic works of scholarship along with newly-published works. Each handbook offers a critical survey of the current state of scholarship in a particular field of study. Individual articles by leading scholars review key issues and major debates, and discuss how those debates might evolve.
- Sage KnowledgeSearches all library subscriptions from Sage Publishing including scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, series, professional development titles, and more.
- Wiley Online LibraryWiley Online Library hosts a broad multidisciplinary collection of online resources covering life, health and physical sciences, social science, and the humanities; access to journal articles, online books, and hundreds of reference works, laboratory protocols and databases.
- SpringerLinkSearch journals, e-books, conference proceedings, and reference titles from Springer Publishing. Covers architecture and design, behavioral science, biomedical and life sciences, business and economics, chemistry and materials sciences, computer science and information technology, environmental sciences, engineering, humanities, social sciences, law, mathematics and statistics, medicine, operational research, physics, and astronomy.
Library Catalogs - search authors, books, and subjects
- Library CatalogSearch with the Library Catalog to find books, journals, etc. owned by the library. Search by keyword, subject, title, or author for materials on your topic.
- WorldCatFind books, journals, articles, maps, music scores, sound recordings, films, theses/dissertations, machine-readable data files, and any other materials available in libraries worldwide. All subject areas are covered. Request items through Interlibrary Loan using the ILLiad link on each item's record. A mobile version of this database is available. Limited to 65 simultaneous users.
Journal Literature
Search Major Indexes:
- Web of ScienceA comprehensive interdisciplinary collection of journal article citations. Subjects generally covered are within science and technology, arts and humanities, and social sciences. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- Google Scholar (Setup connection to get to PDFs)Use Google Scholar to find articles from academic publishers, professional societies, research institutes, and scholarly repositories from colleges and universities. If you are using from off-campus access, change the "Library Settings" to University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Look for the "FindIt@U of M Twin Cities" links in your Google Scholar search results to access full text and PDFs. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- ScopusSearch for information from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Covers the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
- Annual ReviewsThe Annual Reviews collection offers comprehensive, timely critical reviews written by leading scientists. This collection provides the worldwide scientific community with a useful and intelligent synthesis of the primary research literature for a broad spectrum of disciplines. Annual Reviews volumes are published each year for 40 focused disciplines within the Biomedical, Life, Physical, and Social Sciences including Economics and Financial Economics.
Search Disciplinary Databases related to Management, Leadership & Governance
- Business Source PremierFind business articles from journals and magazines in marketing, management, information technology, operations, human resources, accounting, finance and economics dating back to 1965.
- Worldwide Political Science AbstractsThe database provides citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science and its complementary fields, including international relations, law, and public administration & public policy from1975 to the present.
- APA PsycInfoFind articles in thousands of psychology journals, from 1806 to current. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
- Education SourceSearch full-text education journals covering all levels of education--from early childhood to higher education--as well as all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education and testing.
- HeinOnline This link opens in a new windowHuge legal search tool with full-text of legal journals, legal histories, government documents, state and federal cases, international law and includes coverage of many older legal materials. Contains the Congressional Record, Federal Register, and Code of Federal Regulations, complete coverage of the U.S. Reports (Supreme Court) back to 1754.
- PAIS Index (Political Science and Public Policy)PAIS (Public Affairs Information Service) searches journals and other sources on issues of political science and public policy. This includes government, politics, international relations, human rights and more.
Finding Grey Literature & Open Access Research
Conference Proceedings & Working Papers - search the databases above, the website of the conference organization or disciplinary repositories to locate abstract and full text access to conference papers.
Online Scholarly Repositories - online sites managed by either acadeimc organizations or scholarly organizations that collect scholarly works (or versions of works) and share as open access. Examples include:
- University Digital Conservancy at the University of MinnesotaA digital archive of M.A. and PhD theses at the University of Minnesota. The collection in this institutional repository can also be searched by keyword, date, authors and majors.
- Data Repository for the U of M (DRUM)DRUM is a publicly available collection of digital research data generated by U of M researchers, students, and staff. Anyone can search and download the data housed in the repository, instantly or by request.
- Social Science Research NetworkSocial Science Research Network (SSRN) is devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of social science research and is composed of a number of specialized research networks in each of the social sciences. The SSRN eLibrary consists of two parts: an Abstract Database containing abstracts on over 197,700 scholarly working papers and forthcoming papers (preprints) and an Electronic Paper Collection containing downloadable full text documents in Adobe Acrobat pdf format. SSRN was acquired by Elsevier in 2016.
- OpenDOAR: The Directory of Open Access Repositories"OpenDOAR is the quality-assured global directory of academic open access repositories. It enables the identification, browsing and search for repositories, based on a range of features, such as location, software or type of material held."
Dissertations
Current Awareness Tools
Learn more about setting up topic alerts to journals and databases. Doing so can be a real time saver.
Research Methodologies & Frameworks
Learn more about resources to help you understand disciplinary research practices and guidance on specific quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Sage Research MethodsSAGE Research Methods is a tool designed to help scholars of all levels create research projects in their specific discipline and understand the methods behind them.
Research Methodology for Social Sciences by ISBN: 9780367810344Publication Date: 2019-11-01Research Methodology for Social Sciences provides guidelines for designing and conducting evidence-based research in social sciences and interdisciplinary studies using both qualitative and quantitative data. Blending the particularity of different sub-disciplines and interdisciplinary nature of social sciences, this volume: Provides insights on epistemological issues and deliberates on debates over qualitative research methods; Covers different aspects of qualitative research techniques and evidence-based research techniques, including survey design, choice of sample, construction of indices, statistical inferences and data analysis; Discusses concepts, techniques and tools at different stages of research, beginning with the design of field surveys to collect raw data and then analyse it using statistical and econometric methods. With illustrations, examples and a reader-friendly approach, this volume will serve as a key reference material for compulsory research methodology courses at doctoral levels across different disciplines, such as economics, sociology, women's studies, education, anthropology, political science, international relations, philosophy, history and business management. This volume will also be indispensable for postgraduate courses dealing with quantitative techniques and data analysis.
Understanding and Analyzing Public Policy Design by ISBN: 9781108666985Publication Date: 2020-06-27There has been a surge in scholarship on policy design over the last ten years, as scholars seek to understand and develop existing concepts, theories, and methods engaged in the study of policy design in the context of modern governance. This Element adds to the current discourse on the study of policy design by (i) presenting behavioral assumptions and structural features of policy design; (ii) presenting a multi-level analytical framework for organizing policy design research; (iii) highlighting the role of policy compatibility and policy adaptability in influencing policy efficacy; and (iv) presenting future research recommendations relating to these topics.
Science for policy handbook by Call Number: Online editionISBN: 0128226900Publication Date: 2020Science for Policy Handbook provides advice on how to bring science to the attention of policymakers. The handbook is dedicated to researchers and research organisations aiming to achieve policy impact.
Finding data and statistics.
Use the following resources to locate a broad range of data and statistics.
- Sage Data This link opens in a new windowProvides access to statistical data produced by U.S. Federal agencies, States, private organizations, and major intergovernmental organizations. There are up to 2 billion charts, maps, views, rankings, time series and tables available for use in the Data-Planet repository.
- Statistical Insight This link opens in a new windowSearch statistical publications from US and state government agencies, international intergovernmental organizations, professional and trade organizations, business organizations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, and universities.
Visit the Find and Access Data page for more resources available through the library.
Researcher Productivity Tools
These are resources to help you, the researcher, build your professional identity and practice.
Included in this section are examples of researcher identity management, literature review decision frameworks and writing support.
- Your Scholarly IdentityHave you searched for yourself lately? Are you satisfied that the search result portrays you and your research the way you want to be seen?
- ORCiDAn ORCiD ID is a lifelong digital name for an individual researcher that consists of a persistent, unique, numeric identifier.
- Getting Involved in Professional Organizations: A Gateway to Career AdvancementGraduate students and new professionals in psychology have many options for career development. One of the most useful decisions a new or emerging psychologist can make is to join a professional association.
This chapter, from the book, The Portable Mentor by Mitchell J. Prinstein (2012) provides excellent introductory insight on the topic. - Experts@MinnesotaUse Experts@Minnesota to search profiles of University of Minnesota faculty and research staff by collegiate or department, research interests and their publications. Find potential collaborators, learn about the expertise of our faculty and research staff, and about funding sources received by other researchers.
- Leadership Connect (formerly: Leadership Library)Leadership Connect (formerly Leadership Library) allows screening for people, companies, and organizations by type, industry, job function, geographic location, size, or keyword. Ideal for searching NGOs, government agencies, board memberships, and not-for-profit organizations.
- Individual Impact MeasuresHow does a researcher gauge the impact of his/her research? How do administrators objectively evaluate the performance of a researcher? While both questions are difficult to answer, below are numeric measures that can provide a rough snapshot of impact.
Writing for Peer Reviewed Journals by Call Number: online access available (single user)ISBN: 9780203097076Publication Date: 2012-11-27It's not easy getting published, but everyone has to do it. Writing for Peer Reviewed Journals presents an insider's perspective on the secret business of academic publishing, making explicit many of the dilemmas and struggles faced by all writers, but rarely discussed. Its unique approach is theorised and practical. It offers a set of moves for writing a journal article that is structured and doable but also attends to the identity issues that manifest on the page and in the politics of academic life. The book comprehensively assists anyone concerned about getting published; whether they are early in their career or moving from a practice base into higher education, or more experienced but still feeling in need of further information.
- Tutorial: Researching & writing a literature reviewUnderstand the purpose of a literature review and the procedure for conducting one.
Writing the Literature Review by Call Number: (online copy on order)ISBN: 1462536891Publication Date: 2018-11-23This accessible text provides a roadmap for producing a high-quality literature review--an integral part of a successful thesis, dissertation, term paper, or grant proposal. Each step of searching for, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing prior studies is clearly explained and accompanied by user-friendly suggestions, organizational tips, vignettes, and examples of student work. Also featured are excerpts from peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods articles. This is the first book to focus on crafting different types of reviews (systematic, traditional-narrative, or hermeneutic-phenomenological) that reflect the writer's research question, methodological choices, and approaches to knowledge. It describes what all reviews have in common and highlights distinct characteristics of each type. The book includes dos and don'ts for evaluating studies and constructing an argument, and software suggestions for locating, organizing, and arranging sources. Pedagogical Features *Checklists and "To Do" activities that break down key steps to take. *Boxed examples, graphics that organize and visually illustrate key concepts, and summary tables. *Group activities that invite students to further explore and apply the methods discussed in each chapter. *Detailed directions for using four different organizing strategies: synthesis matrix, summary table, mapping, and topic outline. *End-of-chapter summaries and "What's Next" sections. *Assessment matrices for reviewing and refining the completed literature review. Winner (First Place)--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award, Nursing Research Category
- Conducting a Systematic ReviewAre you interested in conducting a systematic review? Check out this page for a description of the process.
- Plagiarism...and How to Avoid ItSlide deck illustrates what is and what isn't plagiarism.
- APA formatting and examples (From Purdue OWL)Examples of the APA citation style.
- Guidelines for the R&L Systematic Review ServiceGain a deeper understanding of the roles of researchers and librarians during the systematic review process.
Research Development Tools
These are examples of available tools to assist you at various stages of the research development and planning.
Grant Funding
- Grant Funding: Search Tools and ResourcesThe University Libraries offers a hands-on and online workshops on searching Pivot, SPIN and the Foundation Directory Online (FDO). Review this page for additional sources of grant funding for your research.
- Libraries online tutorial on grant fundingView this short video for quick review of grant funding support at the UMN.
- Grant funders public access requirementsThis page provides details on open access publication requirements if your funding organization is a federal agency.
- Research agency funding guidelinesThis page outlines requirements relevant to data management.
Journal Quality and Impact Metrics
- The Basics: Journal Impact / Quality MeasuresUse this site to learn more about standard measures of journal quality. This is particularly important when considering places to publish your work as well as learning more about the professional societies who publish them.
- Journal Citation Reports: JCR (InCites)Journal Citation Reports helps you evaluate and compare scholarly and technical journals. JCR Science Edition contains data about more than 8,000 journals in science and technology. JCR Social Sciences Edition contains data about more than 2,600 journals in the social sciences. Includes the Impact Factor for these journals.
- Ulrich's Periodicals DirectoryFind information about newspapers, popular and trade magazines, and academic and scholarly journals. Includes active, ceased, and forthcoming publications. Search by title, subject and more.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with predatory publishers. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) has developed a useful discussion document on Predatory Publishing.
Managing Research Information: Citation Tools & Data Management
- Citation Managers (e.g. Zotero, EndNote Online, etc.)Citation managers are software packages used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to: import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources; save links to pdfs and other documents; format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles; and include your own notes.
Be sure you are familiar with the various citation guides and style manuals and know the style requirements of your discipline and/or journal you are submitting to.
- Data Management Training and WorkshopsThe library offers free drop-in workshops on data management best practices periodically throughout the year.
Also be sure to review the many research data management services available through the Libraries.
Getting Published
- Tutorial: How scholarly research gets published in peer-reviewed journals and where to find it allLearn how scholarly research articles are published in peer-reviewed journals. Use a library database to access it all.
- Copyright ServicesThe University Libraries' Copyright program is focused on addressing the campus's informational and educational needs around copyright. We offer an expanding menu of education and training opportunities, including this website, personal and small-group consultations, tailored and course-integrated instruction, and workshops on fundamental copyright and scholarly communications issues.
- Publishing ServicesLibrarians at the University of Minnesota Libraries can help you with all aspects of scholarly publishing. Go here for more information and to schedule a one-on-one consultation with a publishing expert.
- Copyright & Your ScholarshipYou own your research - until you don't! Learn about your rights as an author of scholarly works, and some of the unique issues.
Research Support Services : Browse all offerings
- Researcher support servicesGo here for a description of the types of researcher support offered by the Health Sciences Libraries and the University Libraries in general.
- Library services for graduate studentsExplore a variety of services for graduate students from search tools, spaces for doing research, and more.
Be sure to browse the Libraries site on Transforming Scholarly Communication to learn more about the many processes by which academics, scholars, and researchers create, share, and publish their research, making it available to the wider academic community and beyond.
Last Updated: Apr 2, 2024 2:00 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/PA/8003