Government information can be complex to research and gather. You'll rarely find everything you need in a single location, and you may need to visit several sites to find the information you need. This guide will help you navigate the intricacies of locating government information.
What is it? Governments at all levels - local, state, national, and international - collect and publish valuable data on topics like healthcare, education, the environment, justice, and economics. Governments use data for planning, budgeting, and evaluating services, as well as informing their constituents.
Why use it? Government documents and data are authoritative, reliable, and crucial for informed research. From raw statistical data to in-depth policy reports, government documents cover a wide range of topics, and access to that information can provide a solid foundation for academic projects.
What is your research question? Clarifying your topic and scope helps you identify whether you need data, policy reports, historical documents, laws, or expert analysis.
What type of information do you need? Understanding the types of information you need will shape your research strategy. Different kinds of information reside in different places. For example, statistical data can be found on the websites of agencies overseeing your topic, while laws and regulations may be found in legislative codes or records.
Knowing the branch helps you skip irrelevant sources.
Local, state, and federal governments may all produce related but different information.
Tip: Sometimes you'll need to "zoom in" or "zoom out," starting at one level and either expanding to other levels for completeness or narrowing to other levels for relevance. Since your topic might span multiple jurisdictions, relying on just one level can result in missing important information.
The agency or branch that creates or manages the information is the most authoritative source. Identify which part of government has jurisdiction.
Tip: Use the agency's own "Publications" or "Data" section first, because these are curated and usually easier to navigate than general searches.
Most government information is held in centralized collections. Use these tools to search government collections efficiently.
Knowing the publication cycle helps you avoid searching for information that doesn't exist yet.
Many government documents are indexed under program or initiative names.
Tip: Check if your topic is part of a larger initiative or falls under a specific law’s implementation. For example, the Head Start program was passed into law in the Head Start Act of 1981 (and then revised and amended in 2007).
All of the library’s multidisciplinary databases (ProQuest, EBSCOhost, and Gale Research Complete) will include some government publications. However, secondary sources can point you to the primary government document you need. They can also provide analysis and interpretations of government information.
Librarians often know "hidden" entry points or specialized subscription databases.
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Have a question or need help?
Use Google to search government websites. Add site:.gov to your search string to have Google search only those sites ending in .gov. For example, "secondary education" and "graduation rates" and site:.gov. You can also use Google Advanced Search and place these terms in the appropriate search boxes.
Learn more about publications from governments, international organizations, and NGOs.
Too much information
Unfamiliar terminology or jargon
Publication delays/non-digitized documents
Information is classified or privacy-protected
Look for public summaries or aggregated data.
