Home - Policy Studies - Subject Guides at University of Sydney

Keeping up to date

Australian Policy online

Australian Public Affairs Review

Introduction

This guide supports research in policy studies with a specific emphasis on Australian Social Policy. This guide suports students in the Faculty of Education and Social Work students and other students undertaking studies in public and social policy.

The Guide will help you identify:

Government departments and agencies involved in creating policy
sources where policy is published or recorded
sources which allow you to trace the history of a specific policy area
sources which analyse and discuss policy

Researching Policy Studies

Policy research is often complex. There is frequently no single source that provides a definitive overview of a specific policy area. Landmarks and changes in policy can be reflected in legislation, government spending, initiatives and projects, reports and recommendations from Committees of Inquiry or the adoption of international protocols. News media sources and academic literature may assist in identifying debate or discussion that surrounds a significant change in a policy area. Many of these sources may need to be consulted in order too understand a policy area or compare or trace changes in policy over time.

Key Sources for Policy research

Parliamentary & Government documents - including government websites, parliamentary debates and documents, Parliamentary committees, media releases

Legal Resources - legislation (Acts, Bills), legal encyclopedias

Media releases - available from government & ministerial websites, news media sources, websites monitoring policy changes, political party websites

Secondary sources - books and articles which analyse and discuss policy and policy development and change.