Use keywords from your project descriptions.
Don't forget to check the main tabs for details:
google tips- use site:gov or site:org
especially when you are seeking to see what other states/cities/towns.. are doing to address the issues
CRS Reports - use the Congressional Publications database or google using your keywords and add - crs reports
Newspaper Articles:
Nexis Uni
National Newspapers Core (Washington Post / WSJ / Baltimore Sun)
So Important:
citation chasing - following references - backwards and forwards
this is the best way to build your bibliography
Follow up on the references and then go to google scholar to see who has cited the original publication
manage citations - use a citation management tool to keep track of your sources
keep track of the databases and searches you use
save yourself time by keeping track so you do not duplicate your work
searching multiple databases - search mulitple EbscoHost databases together
searching multile databases - search multiple ProQuest databases together
For many of your topics - you might want/need to search ALL the Ebsco databses at once
Ebsco tip: too many results? add more keywords / change search field to AB Abstract / Limit to United states = "united states" or usa or u.s. and change search field to AB Abstract
Location = "united sates" or usa or u.s. = AB Abstract
Proquest tip: change search field from Anywhere to - Anywhere except full text / Abstract / filter = Location = United States or "united states" or usa or u.s. = Abstract
Web of Science tip: change search field from All Fields to Topic
Identify one or two relevant articles - check the abstract / subject words and incorporate into your search if necessary
Remember - you will always retrieve documents that are not relevant!
Please email me with any questions
Judy
Multi-disciplinary database providing information for nearly every area of academic study. Includes an enormous collection of the most valuable peer-reviewed full text journals, as well as additional journals, magazines, newspapers and books. Multidisciplinary subjects including: social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language & linguistics, arts & literature, medicine, ethnic studies. 1965- present.
Nexis Uni (formerly LexisNexis Academic) provides fulltext to news, business and legal information. Newspapers date back to the 1970's. Please Note: The Washington Post is no longer included in Nexis Uni.The National Newspapers Core database includes the Washington Post.
The BETTER Project
This project will explore questions about how, when and why to motivate federal government employees (and perhaps employees of other governments and non-profit organizations governments fund.) The student team will be asked to consider what needs to be motivated and explore the literature and data on this subject and then share what they learn in ways that make the information useful to those working in government.
Ebsco = Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycInfo, Business Source Complete, MasterFILE Premier, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Proquest = PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global, Sociological Abstracts
Web of Science
possible search strategy:
"civil service" or "federal employee*" or "federal workforce" or "federal personnel" or "government personnel" or "government employee*" or "government workforce"
and
motivat*
What is performance budgeting? What is its purpose? When, why, and how should it be done?
The student team is asked to think and write about the purpose of and users of performance budgeting. It is asked to find examples illustrating useful and potentially harmful performance budgeting practices, explaining why they do or do not like those practices. The student team is also invited to offer recommendations to governments about future performance budgeting practice, both whether to do it and how and when it should be done.
Public Performance Budgeting by Ebsco = Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Complete, EconLit, MasterFILE Premier, Military & Government Collection, SocINDEX
Proquest = PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global
Web of Science
Google Scholar
Possible search strategy:
"performance budgeting"
and
government
Following:
article from Ebsco
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2011-09888-010&site=ehost-live
mentions Comments on an article by Alfred Tat-Kei Ho
google scholar = "performance budgeting" government Alfred Tat-Kei Ho
his article (2018) has been cited 142 times
Write about the strengths and weaknesses of federal strategic and annual performance plans and annual performance reports. Identify plans and reports you find especially informative and helpful and/or interesting, in whole or in part, and explain why. Flag practices you think other agencies might consider helpful models for communicating goals, strategies, past performance and planned next steps to the public and to delivery partners.
Ebsco = Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Complete, Communication & Mass Media Complete, EconLit, MasterFILE Premier, Military & Government Collection
Possible search strategies:
1. performance
and
"federal government" or "government agenc*"
and
communicat*
2.
All in AB ABstract
"past performance" or goal* or strategies
and
communication
and
"united states" or usa or u.s.
Too many dealing with covid?
then change the connector to
Not
covid
Proquest =
performance
and
"federal government" or "government agenc*"
and
communicat*
Web of Science=
performance
and
"federal government" or "government agenc*"
and
communicat*
Following up:
Article - Web of Science
Yang, K. (2009). Examining perceived honest performance reporting by public organizations: bureaucratic politics and organizational practice. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 19(1), 81–105.
Google Scholar - search within the citing documents - federal agencies communication - Is Public Performance Living up to its expectations
Prince Georges' County Planning Department, Maryland - National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC)
To promote economic vitality, environmental sustainability, design excellence, and quality development that promotes healthy lifestyles in Prince George's County neighborhoods.
The Planning Department is interested in an analysis on the effectiveness of planned development zones in producing innovative land use planning and site development by conducting a comparative analysis with surrounding jurisdictions. Also, the department is interested in case studies demonstrating best practices in site development and land use planning in planned development zones that can be incorporated by the County.
The databases - except Nexis Uni - do not have results using the phrase - "planned development zone/s"
National Newspapers Core = "zone development"
Google =
"planned development zones" site:gov
"planned development zones" site:org
Google Scholar =
"planned development zones" "land use planning"
Nexis Uni =
"planned development zone*"
once in results - limit on the left - Location by Publication and/or Geography by Document
Possibly:
Web of Science - once in results - limit by Countries/Regions
"land use"
and
zoning or zone*
and
innovat*
Proquest =
PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses
"land use"
and
zoning or zone*
and
innovat*
OR:
"local land use"
and
zoning or zone*
Analysis and recommended revisions of the existing charter of the Town of Brookeville.
The Town of Brookeville last updated its Charter in the early 1990’s. There still remains much ambiguity and lack of definition regarding the roles, governance, and responsibilities of the Town versus the County or the State. It is not clear where regulations, rules, laws, or codes covering the operation of the town exist.
Google =
brookeville maryland charter site:gov
maryland charters towns site:gov
Ebsco = all the databases
possible search strategy:
"city charters" or "municipal charters"
Proquest=
PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global, Wall Street Journal, Baltimore Sun, Washington Post
Nexis Uni
"city charters" or "municipal charters"
once in results - limit on the left - Location by Publication and/or Geography by Document
Plan for regional and coordinated approaches to small town economic development. How can the municipalities in Cecil County work collaboratively to have thriving downtowns? There are eight municipalities plus the County. One of the main objectives of the study is to establish best practices that could be implemented across the eight municipalities (standard practices). There is also an interest in identifying possible grants and funding streams as a way of informing recommendations that the municipalities can pursue to support recommended initiatives.
Ebsco = Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Complete, EconLit, MasterFILE Premier, Regional Business News, SocINDEX with Fulltext
Proquest = PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses, Sociological Abstracts
Web of Science = don't add the "united states" keywods - instead, in results scroll down on the left and under Countries/Regions - choose USA
Suggested search strategy:
"economic development" or "economic growth"
and
"small town*"
and
usa or "united states" or u.s. = change search field to AB Abstract
Google
"economic development" "small town*" site:gov
"economic development" "small town*" site:org
This project is a comparative analysis of efforts by the Maryland General Assembly and the California State Legislature to fund community investments. The Maryland General Assembly recently created “resilience authorities.” Annapolis/Anne Arundel County have one up and running, Charles County has one set up, and Baltimore County is considering one. The California State Legislature has created a surprising number of collaborative forms, for similar purposes. The Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) and Climate Resilience District (CRD) are most relevant to NAPA’s work.
Ebsco = Academic Search Ultimate, Business Source Complete, EconLit, MasterFILE Premier, Regional Business News, SocINDEX with Full Text
Possible search strategies:
"The Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District "
-----
"interlocal collaboration"
-----
"community investment*"
and
fund*
and
states
Proquest = PAIS, Proquest Dissertations and Theses
"interlocal collaboration"
Web of Science
"interlocal collaboration"
Nexis Uni = newspaper articles
"interlocal collaboration"
Following
Ebsco Search - interlocal collaboration
Article - https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=159906157&site=ehost-live
google Scholar - cited by 1 = book - linked below - Understanding Municipal Fiscal Health
Understanding Municipal Fiscal Health by 