Government Resources for Research and Learning 

When asked to write a research paper, professors may ask you to select a variety of academic, scholarly resources such as books, peer-reviewed articles, primary and secondary resources to cite in your writing. Are you aware you can support your academic research using government information from federal, state, and local agencies, which is publicly accessible?

Government resources can also be primary and secondary resources. Primary sources are original, historical documents, creative works, published material, and artifacts from a specific time (Library of Congress). Primary sources include hearings and debates, cases, laws, regulations and treaties, records of government expenditures and finances, diaries, letters, memoirs, autobiographies, interviews, and personal narratives. Secondary sources retell, interpret, or analyze events and information found in primary sources after the event. These resources include books, blogs, online exhibitions, research guides, magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, reviews (Secondary sources, n.d.).

These credible resources cover disciplines that include the environment, education, health, science, maps and geospatial resources, economics, history, political science, visual and performing arts, and topics such as careers, elections and voting.

When you have decided on a topic, start a Google search and use the topic:gov operator. Examples include asthma facts:.gov, or bacteria images:.gov, or climate change:.gov, or Continental Congress:.gov.

Explore specific government agencies that share news, press releases, speeches, photo galleries, reports, music, videos, and specific topics including gender and women’s studies, country and area studies. Agencies including the U.S. Census Bureau offer demographic information, NASA provides air and space innovations and multimedia, NOAA keeps the nation informed of environmental changes, National Archives and Library of Congress provide historical resources.

Platforms such as GovInfo, USA.gov, and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) subject guides can also help you discover resources. Data.gov provides tools for research like data visualizations, which can help to inform policy decisions.

Many government resources are in the public domain and are free to use, adapt, and distribute without restriction. Public domain items do not require permission to use; however, crediting the original source is always the best practice. Some resources, while publicly accessible, may have some restrictions in usage. Instructions are usually noted on how to credit the item (National Archives Frequently Asked Questions, 2016).

If you start a deep dive and spiral into the vortex of government resources, come visit the Library and talk to a librarian at the Reference Desk, email, chat, or make a consultation appointment.

Rebecca Arzola

References

National Archives frequently asked questions. (2016, August 15). National Archives; U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. https://www.archives.gov/faqs

Primary sources. (n.d.-a). [Research guide]. Using the Library of Congress Online: A guide for middle and high school students; Library of Congress. Retrieved April 10, 2025, from https://guides.loc.gov/student-resources/primary-sources

Secondary sources. (n.d.-b). [Research guide]. Using the Library of Congress Online: A guide for middle and high school students; Library of Congress. Retrieved April 10, 2025, from https://guides.loc.gov/student-resources/secondary-sources