Though this is the age of the Internet, printed publications are still the primary distribution format for information. The items listed in this section of the Democracy Research Guide stem from the collection of the Democracy Resource Center.

Reference Books
One aspect of the DRC is its focused collection of books that are invaluable for basic democracy research.

Journals
The DRC maintains an extensive collection of journals and other periodicals that provide authoritative, up-to-date coverage on democratic political development and its related issues.

Publishers Directory
To obtain a copy of a book or journal, it is important to know the publisher and how to reach them. Listed here are the names and contact information of the organizations responsible for publishing the items listed in the sections on reference books and journals.

There are tremendous variety organizations, institutions and networks with a presence on the Internet and the number of such Web sites grows daily. Many organizations share relevant and timely information on their web sites. The organizations presented in this guide are included because of their mission of fostering positive, democratic change and the wealth of research resources they provide.

The Research Guide includes a brief description of the organizations' work, their focus of work, their focused region, a link to their web site, and the research tools they provide.

• Civic Education
• Civil Society Strengthening
• Conflict Resolution
• Economic Reform and the Business Sector
• Elections
• Human Rights
• Labor Unions and Workers Rights
• Legislative Development and Assistance
• Libraries and Documentation Centers
• Measurement and Ranking
• Media and Freedom of Expression
• Political Parties and Political Leadership
• Rule of Law
• Transparency and Anti-Corruption
• Women's Issues

Given the dynamic nature of the Web, this section is not an exhaustive list. Responsibility for site content and maintenance rests with the owners and the inclusion of an organization does not imply endorsement by the National Endowment for Democracy. If you would like to suggest a site, please send a message to gingerr@ned.org.

Conducting research can be both exciting and frustrating. The array of tools and information sources is so extensive that finding and learning how to use quality sources can be challenging. That same variety can discourage searchers without the time and resources necessary to persist with searches that do not bring a rapid reward.


This tutorial is a guide with ideas and resources that will make your search for information on democracy and democracy promotion easier and more efficient. If you have any suggestions, or if you would like to recommend a resource, please send a message to Kristina@ned.org.

Research Strategy
To make the search process easier, it is important to first think about what question your research should answer.

• Structuring the Search
• Identifying Resources
  • Libraries
  • Internet
• Search Language
  • Natural Language
  • Controlled Vocabulary
  • Boolean Operators
  • Grouping Search Terms

Evaluating Resources
This section outlines print resources in their various formats and offers questions to ask when judging their appropriateness, followed by an outline of how to evaluate Internet search results.

• Print Resources
  • Primary Sources
  • Secondary Sources
  • Peer Reviewed
• Internet Resources
  • Authority
  • Accuracy
  • Objectivity
  • Currency
  • Coverage

Research Toolbox
Once a subject has been selected and probable locations of materials have been identified, it is necessary to decide which resources are right for the task.

• Internet Tools
  • Links
  • Search Engines and Portals
  • Meta Sites
  • Discussion Lists
• Libraries
  • Online Catalogs
  • Bibliographic Databases
  • Research Guides

Using Information
After the information is collected, one must also ensure that information and data is used properly.

• Citing Source Material
• Copyright Law