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Virtual Research Guide:
Government & Law

Resources in this research guide include digital reference books and Internet sites covering the subjects of government, law, and politics. The materials included in this guide would be generally classified in the 320s and the 340s of the Dewey Decimal System.

Checks and Balances: The Three Branches of the American Government. Daniel Brannen, Jr. and Lawrence Baker, Eds. Detroit: U*X*L, 2005. 513 pp. 3 vols.

Offers easy-to-understand information about the U.S. federal government’s inner workings. Includes historical overviews and examinations of the day-to-day operations of each branch, including information on each branch’s Constitutional duties and obligations; elections, election eligibility, and appointed positions; and the future of each branch.

Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Eds. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 1319 pp. 3 vols.

Provides a comprehensive, subject specific guide to the history, uses, scientific principles, and technologies of espionage, intelligence, and security, with special emphasis placed on the current ethical, legal, and social issues surrounding this very topical subject.

Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst, Eds. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. 3164 pp. 6 vols.

This six-volume edition of the 1987 Dartmouth Medal-winner includes all of the material from the original four-volume set and 1992 Supplement, as well as updated original articles and new articles covering concepts and court cases since 1992. Appendices include a case index and primary documents.

Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law. Jeffrey Wilson, Ed. 2nd ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2006. 1552 pp. 2 vols.

Fills a much-needed gap between legal texts focusing on the theory and history behind the law and more practical guides dealing with the law and its everyday effect upon its citizens. Articles include brief descriptions of each issue's historical background, profiles of various U.S. laws and regulations, details of how laws and regulations vary from state to state, and comprehensive bibliographies that include print and Web resources and lists of relevant organizations.

Major Acts of Congress. Brian K. Landsberg, Ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004. 1178 pp. 3 vols.

An illustrated encyclopedia of congressional acts from the earliest days of the American republic up through recent years. Broadly applicable to students as well as general readers, this three-volume reference work is suitable for high school and college students, public library patrons, and professionals seeking comprehensive information on the legal statutes that affect all of us.

Political Theories for Students. Matthew Miskelly and Jaime Noce, Eds. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 429 pp.

Provides in-depth information on major political theories and systems from all time periods. Each entry begins with a general overview of the system/theory followed by a discussion of the principal aspects of the theory, the theory's philosophy and an analysis of the historical context in which the theory was developed, including critical response.

Treaties and Alliances of the World. 8th ed. London: John Harper Publishing, 2007. 711 pp.

A reference guide to the international system, for quick fact-checking on the essentials of an agreement, organization or topic as well as for more detailed background and comparative research on particular themes.

U.S. Immigration and Migration Reference Library. Sonia Benson, Ed. Detroit: U*X*L, 2004. 1391 pp. 6 vols.

Chronicles and interprets the phenomenal waves of immigration to the United States from the earliest times up to the present day, when restrictive policies have temporarily stanced the flow of immigrants. Covers the economic, religious, and political forces that compelled people to seek a better life in a new land; profiles both prominent and lesser-known people of the immigrant experience; and features key documents related to the topic.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Jeffrey Lehman and Shirelle Phelps, Eds. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 6448 pp. 13 vols.

Provides current information on more than 5,000 legal topics. Includes completely revised articles covering important issues, biographies, definitions of legal terms and more. Covers such high-profile topics as the Americans with Disabilities Act, capital punishment, domestic violence, gay and lesbian rights, and physician-assisted suicide.

World of Forensic Science. K. Lerner and Brenda Lerner, Eds. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 812 pp. 2 vols.

World of Forensic Science is a convenient, comprehensive guide to the scientific processes and the legal, social and ethical issues involved in the forensic sciences. Approximately 600 entries cover the individuals, techniques, and principles of biology, chemistry, law, medicine, physics, computer science, geology, and psychology involved in the multidisciplinary approach of examining crime scenes and evidence to be used in legal proceedings.