International Studies: Policy Resources

Congressional Research Service Reports

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is responsible for the research, analysis, and information that Congress needs to make informed decisions. CRS Reports are available on a wide variety of topics, but they are not yet available to the public in a comprehensive way. I have linked to sources for CRS reports below. It may be helpful for you to view some of these policy reports to:

find information for your own reports
see examples of how policy papers are written

The University of North Texas collects CRS Reports in many policy areas, including Foreign Policy. Their site allows you to search for a specific topic or browse all topics.

The Federation of American Scientists collects CRS Reports on a number of topics, including Foreign Policy and Regional Affairs.

Proquest Congressional Publications allows you to search for CRS Reports from 1916 – 2003.

The National Council for Science and the Environment collects CRS Reports on environmental and related topics.

Open CRS attempts to collect and maintain CRS Reports in a central, open repository. Searching and browsing the reports in Open CRS requires an easy-to-create account (user name, password, name, organization).

If you're interested in additional information about CRS and CRS Reports, Deborah Liptack wrote an easy-to-read article for the publication "Online." (Liptak, D. (2005). CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH Service Reports Revealed. Online, 29(6), 23-26. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.)

Other Policy Clearinghouses

PolicyArchive
An archive of global, non-partisan public policy research. PolicyArchive collects and disseminates summaries and full texts, videos, reports, briefs, and multimedia material of think tank, university, government, and foundation-funded policy research
Policy Commons
Research from the world’s leading policy experts, nonpartisan think tanks, IGOs and NGOs

Think Tanks and Institutes

Think Tank Search from Harvard's Kennedy School
The Harvard Kennedy School Think Tank Search is a custom Google search of more than 250 U.S. and non-U.S. think tank websites. LKS defines think tanks as institutions affiliated with universities, governments, advocacy groups, foundations, non-governmental organizations, and businesses that generate public policy research, analysis, and activity.
The Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution, one of Washington's oldest think tanks, is an independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to research, analysis, and public education with an emphasis on economics, foreign policy, governance, and metropolitan policy.
Centre for European Policy Studies
An independent policy research institute dedicated to producing sound policy research leading to constructive solutions to the challenges facing Europe today.
Council on Foreign Relations
An independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher helping its stakeholders to better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.
RAND Corporation
The RAND Corporation is a non-profit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through objective research and analysis.