Information on Public Administration

Information of government management can be both public and restricted.

Public administration generally involves the operations of government or public-funded entities associated with government. Operating at different levels--federal, state, local, and special districts--public administration retains a variety of information sources required by law or voluntarily stored for the purposes of government business, statistics, reference and history.

The Internet

The Internet provides an abundance of information on government administration, but a person needs to know where to look. Many government levels provide their annual and quarterly information on the Internet via websites updated regularly with new documentation. Starting with these sources can provide leads for where to look further.

Budget and Accounting Statements

Much of public administration occurs based on budgets authorized at different government levels. Locating and understanding how to read such budget and accounting statements--which must be available to the public--can provide information about existing public administration activities, changes proposed and new one-time investments made with government funds.

Watchdogs, Audits and the Media

Three sources also provide third-party reviews of public administration activities. Audit reports, nonprofit watchdog groups and the press all report on activities of different government levels, especially if the behavior and spending doesn't seem correct or appropriate. These sources do much of the legwork, providing both findings and background.

References

• U.S. Government Printing Office: Ben's Guide to Government for Kids
• Vanderbilt University: Government Information
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: E-Reference Links - Searching for Government Information
• The National Association of State Budget Officers: Accessing State Budget Documents

Resources

• Library of Congress: Government Web Resources