Project Citizen and the Worldwide Web

Finding current, relevant information about a particular public policy can be one of the most daunting tasks facing students and teachers doing Project Citizen.  The capacity of the internet to assist students and teachers in their research efforts seems limitless.  Without clear direction, however, searches on the net can become overwhelming and frustrating.

Policy.com is one of the most useful sites available on the net to help students overcome these research obstacles.  At Policy.com students can access hundreds of useful sites on a broad range of public policy issues.  On entering the site student should be encouraged to fully explore the homepage.  However, by going to the heading COMMUNITY on the left sidebar they will locate several highly useable and useful subheadings that will link them to hundreds of sites and public policy issues.  Among the most useful subheadings are:
 

• Think Tanks - Here students will be able to link directly to hundreds of think tanks dealing with a broad range of policy issues.  The think tanks listed represent every major public policy issue/problem before Americans today and span the political spectrum.  Each entry includes a brief description of the issues on which the organization focuses.

• Advocacy Groups - Here students will be able to link directly to dozens of advocacy groups dealing with a broad range of policy issues.  Sites included everything from the American Association of Retired Persons to Zero Population Growth.  Each entry includes a brief description of the issues on which the organization focuses.

• Universities - Here students will be able to link directly to universities that have centers, institutes, projects, or schools that deal with policy issues.  Each entry includes a brief description of the issues on which the organization focuses.

• U.S. Government - This is a very valuable page for linking with government at all levels.  Here students can again select from several subheadings that include all three branches of the federal government, independent agencies and commissions, and state and local government.  The links provided can connect students directly or indirectly with almost any government website available.

• Media - this is a very valuable page for linking with media at all levels.  Here students can again select from several subheadings that include U.S. newspapers, magazines, and policy journals, as well as international newspapers and magazines.  It also has subheadings for U.S. television and radio sites, news and policy programs, and international stations.