University Library > Guides > English 102: 2008 Presidential Election

English 102:
2008 Presidential Election Resources

Table of Contents:

General Sources

Library Catalog - (University Library)
Find books, videos, government publications, and pamphlets on your topic.

Universal Borrowing
Can't find what you need at the University Library? Try searching one or more of the other UW System Libraries. Universal Borrowing is a free service; items ordered generally arrive within 2-4 weekdays. For more information, and instructions on use, go to the Universal Borrowing service web page.

Articles in Journals, Magazines and Newspapers - (University Library)
Article indexes and databases available through the Library. Search these resources to find articles on your topic in journals, magazines, and newspapers. Indexes and databases are available via the alphabetical listing, or divided by broad subject area. Suggested databases to start with are under the Articles heading below.

Citation Linker - (University Library)
If you already have an article citation, Citation Linker allows you to type in the citation and link to a menu of options for finding the full text of the article.

Journal Holdings: Electronic & Print - (University Library) UWW access only
Use this list to find out whether the Library owns a particular journal, magazine, or newspaper, as well as the dates and formats available. Search by title.

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Articles

Some suggested article databases for information on election issues, the presidential election, and presidential candidates:

CQ Researcher UWW access only
Information on topics of current interest. Each issue is devoted to a single topic.

CQ Voting and Elections Collection UWW access only
CQ Voting and Elections Collection includes data, authoritative analyses, concise explanations, and historical material to provide information on the American voter, major and minor political parties, campaigns and elections, and historical and modern races for Congress, the presidency, and governorships.

Academic Search Premier - (Ebscohost) UWW access only
Articles and citations from scholarly journals and popular magazines on a wide variety of subjects.

Alternative Press Index - (First Search) UWW access only
Citations to articles from alternative, radical and left wing periodicals. Library is charged per search in this database. Please plan your search strategies in advance before entering this database.

Ethnic NewsWatch - (ProQuest) UWW access only
Articles from the native, ethnic, and minority press.

GenderWatch - (ProQuest) UWW access only
Articles from publications devoted to women's and gender issues.

ProQuest Newspapers - (ProQuest) UWW access only
Articles in national and Wisconsin newspapers.

Articles in Journals, Magazines and Newspapers - (University Library)
Can't find what you need from the databases listed above? The Library has over 150 online article databases to choose from. Look under the Indexes & Databases by Subject links for suggested databases in your topic area. A complete list of databases is also available under Indexes and Databases in Alphabetical Order.

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Web Sites

Presidential candidates’ campaign web sites; use to find out a candidate’s position on election issues:

Hillary Rodham Clinton: http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

Mike Huckabee: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/

John McCain: http://www.johnmccain.com/

Ralph Nader: http://www.votenader.org/

Barack Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/

Other informational web sites:

Election Center 2008: Elections & Politics News from CNN.com - (Cable News Network)
Click on the Issues link, then choose an issue to see each candidate’s stand on that issue. Statements given are brief. Other links include Candidates, Debates, and Money (amounts received and spent by each candidate).

FactCheck.org: Annenberg Political Fact Check - (Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania)
Fact Check’s mission is to “monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases.”

Federal Election Commission
Search the Disclosure database to find out which individuals and committees are contributing to different candidates, view the financial disclosure reports filed by the presidential candidates, and more.

NPR: Election 2008 - (National Public Radio)
Audio reports on Election 2008 are available on this site, as is information on candidates’ cash flows and issue positions.

Opensecrets.org - (The Center for Responsive Politics)
"The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy."

Project Vote Smart
Search for information on presidential candidates using the Candidates link at the top of the home page. Background and contact information for each candidate is provided, as well as issue positions, Congressional voting record (if applicable), campaign finances, interest group ratings, and more.

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Evaluating Web Sites

Evaluating Internet Resources - (University Library)
Use the links on this page to find further information on criteria to use when evaluating a web site for authority, accuracy, truthfulness, and more.

Citation Style Guide

Citing References: MLA Style - (University Library)
Examples of citing references in MLA style.

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For assistance, contact a reference librarian at (262) 472-1032, by email or chat or in person at the Library's Reference Desk.

Last Revised: RH - 3/4/2008