Researching the Electoral College System

Skyline College
Library

Researching the Electoral College System
Research Assignment for PLSC 200 AA, 210 AA, 210 AB and 210 AC (Masare)

Books & Articles on Reserve
Online Catalog for Finding Books
Databases for Finding Magazine, Journal & Newspaper Articles
Selected Web Sites

Recommended Books & Articles on Reserve at the Check-Out Desk:

The Electoral College (1958) by Lucius Wilmerding, Jr.: JK529 .W64
Presidential Lottery: The Reckless Gamble in Our Electoral System (1969) by James A. Michener: JK529 .M5
The Case Against Direct Election of the President: Defense of the Electoral College (1975) by Judith Best: JK528 .B44 1975
The People's President: The Electoral College in American History and the Direct Vote Alternative (1968) by Neal R. Peirce: JK529 .P4
Electing the President by Barbara Silberdick Feinberg: JK524 .F45 1995

Using the Catalog to Look for Library Books:

The PLS Online Catalog is the online catalog to find books in Skyline Library and in all libraries in the Peninsula Library Sytem.

Type in electoral college in the search box and click the Search button.
Limit your search to books at Skyline by clicking on the Limit button at the right side of the page and then scroll down to near the bottom and click on Skyline College Library and then click OK.

Magazine, Journal & Newspaper Databases (to access articles):

InfoTrac OneFile Database: excellent general periodical database.
Available from off-campus--as long as you have a library card (library card bar code number is required from off campus).

To search only for articles that include the full text (the whole article) in the database, check the "articles with text" box under "Limit the current search" (below the text entry box)
To narrow searches, combine concepts with AND.
Once you find one article specifically on your topic, click on any relevant subject headings (near the bottom of the article page) to find more articles on that topic.
Click here for a set of articles from InfoTrac OneFile on the electoral college system

InfoTrac Newspapers Database: newspaper database including articles from the S.F. Chronicle, N.Y. Times, L.A. Times, & 7 other national & international newspapers.
Available from off-campus--as long as you have a library card (library card bar code number is required from off campus).

To search only for articles that include the full text (the whole article) in the database, check the "articles with text" box under "Limit the current search" (below the text entry box)
Try using the same search words as shown above for the OneFile database
To narrow searches, combine concepts with AND
Click here for a set of articles from InfoTrac Newspapers on the electoal college system

Proquest Newspapers database: a database of full-text articles from many of the most important newspapers in the country--New York Times, S. F. Chronicle, S. F. Examiner, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, L. A. Times & Christian Science Monitor--as well as some regional papers from Northern California. Only available from on campus.

Recommended Web Sites:

U. S. Electoral College: Information on the U. S. Electoral College--its history, how it works, revelant law, allocation of electoral votes, results from past elections, and a FAQ, from the National Archives and Record Administration.

Issues & Resources for Electoral Reform: Electoral College: from the Progressive Challenge, Institute for Policy Studies and The Nation website on Electoral Reform.

Encyclopedia Americana: The American Presidency: Electoral College

Elections Central: History of Presidential Elections: from History Central website.

Presidential Elections and the Electoral College: The Proceedings of the Electoral Commission of 1877: from the Library of Congress' American Memory Project.

Finding Precedent: Hayes vs. Tilden: The Electoral College controversy of 1876-1877: from Harper's Weekly