A note on abstracts and indexes
Abstracts and indexes in print or on CD ROM, as described in the Communication Research textbook by Hocking, Stacks, and McDermott, have largely been replaced by article databases that contain a mixture of full-text articles from some periodicals, and abstracts and citations for others. To include abstracts and citations in your database search, simply do not select the "full text only" option. Articles that are not full-text in any of our databases can be requested through interlibrary loan, which is fast and free.
Purdue OWL
- APA CitationA strongly recommended resource for citation help!
As discussed during your library class, the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University has some great resources that will help you with writing and citing for this class.
- Primary ResearchAdvice from the Purdue OWL about conducting a study, designing survey or interview questions, etc.
- Writing Experimental ReportsThis tutorial is aimed at Psychology students writing up their first study; however, a lot of the advice applies to writing up your Communication study as well.
Journal Databases
Use these databases to access the scholarly literature in communication and related fields.
- Communication Source This link opens in a new windowIt offers full-text articles for communication studies, media studies, linguistics, speech pathology, rhetoric, and discourse.
- Communications and Mass Media OneFile This link opens in a new windowCommunications and Mass Media OneFile is a subsection of Gale OneFile focusing on articles, periodicals, and other materials related to the study of communication and the mass media.
- Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new windowThe most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citations dating back to 1637.
- Project Muse This link opens in a new window
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An interdisciplinary collection of high-quality, peer-reviewed journals, with an emphasis on the humanities and social sciences. - JSTOR This link opens in a new window
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Full-text scholarly articles and books in a wide range of subject areas, primarily social sciences and humanities. Also features an image search using materials derived from ARTstor. - SocINDEX with Full Text This link opens in a new windowIt offers comprehensive coverage of sociology, encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study. Abstracts and full-text articles starting in 1895.
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
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Provides full-text articles of scholarly journals in all disciplines of business, and financial data, industry reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses and more. - Humanities Source This link opens in a new windowIt is designed to meet the needs of students, researchers, and educators interested in all aspects of the humanities. Full-text articles and book reviews.
- Google ScholarGoogle Scholar uses the familiar Google interface to search scholarly literature. Some results can be accessed full-text right from Google Scholar; in other cases you will need to access the article through a library database.
Newspapers and Magazines
These databases contain current and historical newspapers and general-interest magazines.
- American Periodicals This link opens in a new windowContains digitized images from American magazines and journals between 1741 and 1940. Spanning nearly 200 years-from colonial times to the advent of American involvement in World War II.
- General OneFile This link opens in a new windowGeneral OneFile, provides periodical and news information through an intuitive, user-friendly search interface for researches at all levels.
- Newspapers.com This link opens in a new windowOffers full page newspaper images with searchable full-text for millions of newspapers. The collection includes digital reproductions.
- Historical Newspapers: The New York Times This link opens in a new windowThe historical New York Times (1851-2017) provides easily-searchable first-hand accounts and coverage of the politics, society, and events of the time.
Books and Ebooks
Research Methods for Business and Social Science Students by Call Number: EbookISBN: 8132113667Publication Date: 2014-03-15Research Methods for Business and Social Science Students aims to present a clear discussion of the research methods employed in various disciplines related to our daily life problems.Collecting data is a key part of the book and this includes both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The book also describes in clear terms how students can analyse data, interpret results and link these to the literature review and hence their own contribution. The book has been designed to illustrate research tools in a clear and accessible manner through chapters on such topics as formulating research, research design, data analysis and writing up the research results.
The following is a small sample of books and ebooks in the library collection that deal with designing and carrying out research studies in communication and social sciences.
Quantitative Research Methods for Communication by Call Number: P91.3 .Q36 2008ISBN: 0195337476Publication Date: 2008-01-23Conducting research can be one of the most fascinating--and intimidating--tasks for students and scholars. Quantitative Research Methods for Communication: A Hands-On Approach offers an innovative and insightful look at this complex subject. In clear, straightforward language, the authors encourage students to take an active, hands-on role in the learning process, giving them the tools they need to locate, conduct, collect, and present their research. Beginning with a brief history of social science research, the text incorporates the following resources: * An introduction to the fundamentals of communication research, from library skills to basic mathematical concepts * An examination of the three most common techniques used in communication research: survey, content analysis, and experiment * A sophisticated analysis of sampling and hypothesis testing * A step-by-step introduction to statistical tools * Guided research assignments based on actual data-driven research questions * In-depth analyses of articles that feature statistical tests * A guide to presenting research findings, from delivering research papers at conferences to submitting original research for publication
Research Confidential by Call Number: EbookISBN: 0472050265Publication Date: 2009-08-28This is the first accessible, practical guide to the challenges of social science research methodology.Methods from the Trenches fills a notable gap in the existing literature on research methods in the social sciences. While the methods literature is indeed large, it is rare for authors to discuss the practical issues and challenges they confronted in the course of their research projects. As a result, as Eszter Hargittai argues, each new cohort is effectively forced to reinvent the wheel, making mistakes that previous generations have already confronted and resolved. This collection of essays sets out to address this failing by supplying new researchers with the kind of detailed practical information which can make or break a given project. Written in an informal, accessible, and engaging manner by a group of prominent junior scholars, many of whom are involved in ground-breaking research in online contexts, this collection promises to be a valuable tool for graduate students and educators across the social sciences.
Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics by Call Number: HA29 .S2363 2007ISBN: 1412916119Publication Date: 2006-10-13The Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics presents state-of-the-art information and ready-to-use facts from the fields of measurement and statistics in an unintimidating style.
Analyzing Quantitative Data by Call Number: EbookISBN: 0470526831Publication Date: 2011-08-23A user-friendly, hands-on guide to recognizing and conducting proper research techniques in data collection. Offering a unique approach to numerical research methods, Analyzing Quantitative Data: An Introduction for Social Researchers presents readers with the necessary statistical applications for carrying out the key phases of conducting and evaluating a research project. The book guides readers through the steps of data analysis, from organizing raw data to utilizing descriptive statistics and tests of significance, drawing valid conclusions, and writing research reports.
The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research by Call Number: H62 .H2455 2011ISBN: 1412974178Publication Date: 2011-04-27Presenting the state-of-the-art for the theory and practice of qualitative inquiry, this landmark Handbook has been a publishing phenomenon in the human sciences since it first published in 1994. Representing the best thinking from top scholars from around the world, the new edition continues the book's tradition of synthesizing an existing literature, defining the present, and shaping the future of qualitative research.
Subject Guide
National Newspapers
SRU faculty, staff, and students may create a free account to read The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. First-time users must register before they can access the content.
- New York Times This link opens in a new window
- Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new window
Government Information
- CensusDemographic data from the US Census.