Introduction
This research guide is intended to help you get started with your POL 446: International Relations in East Asia course assignment research.
If you need help, please contact Baharak Yousefi, Liaison Librarian at or byousefi@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian.
Getting Started
- For a step-by-step guide to researching your topic, see Start Your Research Here
- For one-on-one help with writing your paper, contact the Student Learning Commons
Background Information
Do you need some basic definitions or background information? Try these subject-related resources:
- Encyclopedia of Political Science
- Security Handbook 2008: Emerging Powers in East Asia [print]
- The Routledge Handbook of Asian Security Studies [print]
Books and Reports
Search the Library Catalogue to find print and electronic books, journals and reports on your topic.
Try linking to the subject headings below to find useful print and online books and reports on your topic.
To search for books by subject heading, use the Browse Search option in the SFU Library Catalogue, then select Subject browse from the drop-down menu.
- East Asia -- Politics and government
- Japan -- Politics and government -- 1945-
- China -- Politics and government
- Geopolitics -- East Asia
- National security -- Asia
- Security, International -- Pacific Area
- East Asia -- Strategic aspects
- East Asia -- Foreign relations
- Pacific Area -- Foreign relations
- Regionalism -- East Asia
- United States -- Relations -- Japan
Journal Article Indexes
See Databases in Political Science for a complete list of subject-related journal article databases online. Some recommended databases for course-related research topics include:
- Bibliography of Asian Studies
Humanities and social sciences information on East, Southeast and South Asia.
- Columbia International Affairs Online
Provides theory and research in international affairs. It publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 onward that includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, books, journals and policy briefs.
- Digital National Security Archive
The Digital National Security Archive contains a comprehensive set of declassified government documents central to U.S. foreign and military policy since 1945.
- International Political Science Abstracts
Covers political science articles published in scholarly journals and yearbooks worldwide.
- JSTOR
Searchable, archival collection of core scholarly arts, humanities and social sciences journals.
- Political Science Complete
Covers political theory, comparative politics, law and legislation and non-governmental organizations.
News Resources
- Keesings Record of World Events
A monthly digest of worldwide political and economic affairs covering the period from 1931 to the present.
- Nexis Uni
International news coverage, business news, legal cases and law reports.
- PressReader
Provides online access to current newspapers from around the world in full-color, full-page format
Facts and Data
- Europa World
Provides information on a variety of international organizations as well as highlights detailed information on every country in the world.
- OECD
OECD iLibrary provides electronic access to books, periodicals and statistics published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- undata
Provides selected series from 30 specialized international data sources for all available countries and areas.
- World Competitiveness Yearbook
Provides annual statistics on competitiveness of nations. Ranks countries based on economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.
Websites
- Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS)
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
- National Bureau of Asian Research
- Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP)
- United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Writing and Citing
Use the SFU Department of Political Science Guidelines for Writing Essays and Research Papers and the SFU Student Learning Commons' Writing for University to guide you as you write your research paper.
You may also want to peruse the following books:
- The Political Science Student Writer's Manual. Available in print: JA 86 S39 1998
- Social Sciences Research: Research, Writing and Presentation Strategies for Students. Available in print: H 62 S736 2008
- Academic Writing: An Introduction. Available in print: PE 1408 G53 2009
The Student Learning Commons offers students a wide range of academic writing, learning, and study strategies services including free one-on-one consultations and workshops.
You need to correctly cite all of the books, journal articles and websites that you used in your research. Start with the SFU Library's Writing & Style Guide. A couple of other guides that you may want to look at are the Citing Sources (Duke University Libraries).
Citing your sources and creating the reference list is time consuming. Take notes throughout your research and make sure to mark the page number(s) of passages you plan to paraphrase or directly quote in your research paper.
Consider using citation or reference management tools to collect your journal article, book, or other document citations together in one place, and help you create properly formatted bibliographies in almost any style — in seconds. Citation management tools help you keep track of your sources while you work and store your references for future use and reuse.
Learning how to properly credit others when you use their ideas is a difficult, but important, part of research. Start with the SFU Library's interactive tutorial Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism to test yourself and to learn more about plagiarism. Also read the SFU Library's Plagiarism Guide for further discussion of this critical topic and for links to other plagiarism guides.