Guides and Tutorials: Political Science & International Studies Resources: Think Tanks and Public Policy

What is a Think Tank?

Think tanks are public-policy research analysis and engagement organizations that generate policy oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues, which enable policymakers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy issues. Think tanks may be affiliated or independent institutions and are structured as permanent bodies, not ad hoc commissions. These institutions often act as a bridge between the academic and policymaking communities and between states and civil society, serving in the public interest as independent voices that translate applied and basic research into a language and form that is understandable, reliable, and accessible for policymakers and the public." (Think tanks and civil societies program. Retrieved 2/20/2013, 2013, from http://www.gotothinktank.com/)

Think Tanks and Public Policy

Think Tank Search Engine

The Think Tank Search Engine searches for reports, studies, and policy papers from a number of liberal, neutral, and right leaning Think Tanks. If you find a paper of interest, read it carefully and be aware of political bias.

Think Tank Directories

Harvard Guide to Think Tanks
Sponsored by Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, this comprehensive directory of U.S. and international think tanks with links to institutional home pages is an excellent source of research data and position papers on the critical issues of our time.
List of Think Tanks by Political Persuasion
Public policy - the decisions that affect such things as health care, defense, environment and taxes - is not merely a conversation between politicians, the public and "special interests". It is also the product of the many foundations - the "think tanks" - dedicated to discovering what is best for all, or at least most of us. What they bring to the process is not only honest research, but also heart-felt ideology and what is often a dedication to differing priorities and outcomes. These are not empty arguments. Because it is often the think tanks which best articulate policy, and which both inspire and inform our nation's leaders, they have often been likened to America's shadow government. It is high time the discerning citizen paid attention.

Public Opinion Studies

American National Election Studies
The American National Election Studies (ANES) produces high quality data on voting, public opinion, and political participation to serve the research needs of social scientists, teachers, students, policy makers and journalists who want to better understa
Pew Research Center
Public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research.
The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
The Odum Institute maintains one of the oldest and largest catalog of machine-readable data in the U.S. It has an extensive collection of U.S. Census data, including one of the most complete holdings for 1970 Census files. Other major sources of data incl

The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate by James G. McGann
"The article discusses the impact of think tanks on both public and foreign policies in the U.S. It offers a historical overview of the inception and evolution of independent public policy think tanks, along with their role in providing advices to government officials in the executive and legislative branches and fostering public debate on important topics."
McGann, James G. 2010. "The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks and American Foreign Policy." Georgetown Journal Of International Affairs 11, no. 2: 35-42. Political Science Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 17, 2014).