Dialogue of Civilizations - Summer 1, 2024 : Find Policy Resources

Public policy databases often provide access to literature generally excluded from article and book finding resources. This kind of research material is sometimes referred to as "grey literature" and its authors include IGOs, NGOs, university research centers, advocacy groups, non-profits, and think tanks, among others.

The NU Library subscribes to two databases, Policy Commons and PolicyFile, which focus on grey literature, though policy materials are sometimes included other library databases, too. Policy Commons and PolicyFIle cover both domestic and international policy organizations. Although Policy Commons is the larger of the two resources, PolicyFIle has several interesting features including its organization political leaning tags.

Here's a sample search in Policy Commons for falsified or substandard medicines.

Here's a sample search in PolicyFILE. The first screenshot shows a search for falsified medicines or substandard medicines. The second screenshot shows one of the special features of PolicyFILE, the organization political learning rating. Like most rankings, this is a subjective rating, but potentially helpful, nonetheless.