Library & Internet Resources for COMS 321:
Rhetorical Discourse
Resources Overview
- Choosing
the best resources to use for research involves several factors, including
assignment requirements, currency of the research topic, and the depth
of coverage needed.
- Periodicals
(magazines, newspapers, trade publications, and scholarly or peer-reviewed
journals) are excellent sources of current and/or specific information
for research projects. Often, they are considered primary
sources for research.
- Why not use Wikipedia? View this video
(Flash)
from the Rutgers University Libraries on why Wikipedia is not the best
source to use for research assignments.
Periodical Indexes/Databases
- Periodical indexes or databases allow you to search for keywords
to help you identify relevant articles. All of the databases listed below
provide the full text for most of the articles they index.
- It's a good idea to formulate a search
strategy before using a periodical database.
- Databases can be searched using Boolean
Logic (AND, OR, NOT) and truncation/wildcards symbols (*, ?, etc.)
to combine keywords and phrases to locate articles on specific topics.
- For a complete list of available databases, see Databases
A-Z.
- FYI, you can also connect to the Library's databases and full-text periodicals
from off campus
- Databases listed below that include this image
allow you to limit search results to scholarly journal articles.
Good Places to Start:
- Gale
Power Search
- Simultaneously access 11 Gale databases to locate magazine articles,
trade publications, academic journal articles, news, reference books,
Web sites, and multimedia resources. Includes "Viewpoint" (pro/con)
essays and topic overviews on controversial issues from Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center in the "Books" results.
-
Using
Gale PowerSearch (Flash)
- CQ
Researcher
-
CQ Researcher full-text reports offer in-depth,
non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports
on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment,
technology and the U.S. economy. Each 12,000-word report is a unique
work, investigated and written by a seasoned journalist, including sections
on background and chronology; an assessment of the current situation;
tables and maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing
positions; and bibliographies of key sources. Note:
Since the reports are written by journalists, it is not
considered a scholarly journal. Coverage is from 1991 to the present.
Highly Recommended:
- Academic
Search Elite (EBSCOHost)

- Provides full text for nearly 1,850 periodicals, including more than
1,250 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to the full text, indexing
and abstracts are provided for all 3,237 periodicals in the collection.
This database offers information in nearly every area of academic study,
including communication studies. Allows limiting search results to peer-reviewed
scholarly journals.
- General
Reference Center Gold (Gale)

- A general interest database that integrates a variety of sources in
one easy-to-use interface. Use General Reference Center Gold to find
articles from newspapers, reference books, and periodicals, many with
full-text and images. Search specific keywords using the Advanced Search
or browse subjects using the Subject Guide.
- LexisNexis
Academic

- LexisNexis Academic is a full-text database containing news, legal,
biographical, and business information from over 12,000 publications.
Click on Easy Search (default) or Power Search
from the General toolbar, or News
from the toolbar to search newspapers and other sources. Easy
Search does not use Boolean
(AND, OR, NOT) operators and searches large groups of the most popular
sources. The Power Search or News
options allow Boolean
logic, searching within specific parts of a document (headline,
byline, lead paragraph, etc.), and the ability to search more specific
sources. In addition to sources such as "Major U.S. and World Publications,"
"Major World Publications (non-English)," "blogs,"
"TV and radio broadcast transcripts" (news broadcasts, political
campaigns), and legal or business information in Easy Search,
the Power Search or News options include
"U.S. Newspapers and Wires," "magazine stories,'"
and topical news sources (business, legal, university, and healthcare)
among others. For tips on searching for editorials in LexisNexis Academic,
see News
Search: Find An Editorial Or Opinion Piece. Click Legal
to search law reviews, federal and state laws and court cases; click
Business to search company information and other related
sources; and click People for biographical information.
Dates of coverage in LexisNexis vary by publication. NOTE: Due to publisher
restrictions, Lexis Nexis Academic users may only access the latest
6 months of the Los Angeles Times. Use Proquest
Newspapers for complete coverage of the Los Angeles
Times online.
- ProQuest
Newspapers
- Full text for 500+ U.S. and international news sources. Includes coverage
of 150+ major U.S. newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times,
the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune, plus
hundreds of other news sources and news wires. Click the More
Search Options link from the main search screen to reveal choices
for limiting by Document Type, such as editorial, speech,
and review.
Specialized Resources:
- Communication
and Mass Media Complete (EBSCOhost)

- Indexes and abstracts over 600 journals and trade publications; includes
full text for over 240 journals. CMMC incorporates the content of CommSearch
(formerly produced by the National Communication Association) and Mass
Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Penn State). Subjects
covered include communication studies, journalism, mass media, speech,
linguistics, communicative disorders, deaf studies, advertising, and
related areas of interest to practitioners and educators in these fields.
Dates of coverage vary by journal. A list
of journal titles covered by CMMC is available.
- Ethnic
NewsWatch (ProQuest)

- Full text articles from more than 270 ethnic, minority and native
press publications, including newspapers, magazines and journals, 1960
to present.
- GenderWatch
(ProQuest)

- Contains unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender
impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With archival material dating
back to 1970, GenderWatch is a repository of an important historical
perspective on the evolution of both the women's movement and major
changes in gender roles.
-
- Sage
Journals Online

- Full text access to journals in the social sciences, humanities, and
sciences, including almost 20 communication and media studies journals.
Locating Periodicals
Books
Facts, Opinions & Statistics
The following web sites can lead you to facts, opinions, statistics,
and background information to support your research.
- American
Factfinder (Population, housing, economic, and geographic data from
the U.S. Census Bureau.)
- Electronic
Reference Books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, etc.)
- Government
Information: Federal, State, Local, International
- Government
Publications on Social Issues (Good for topic selection and links
to government reports and data.)
- Legal
Research (links to primary sources of court cases, laws, regulations,
and treaties as well as secondary research materials)
- News on the Web
(Links to the web sites of local, national, and international broadcast
news and newspapers.)
- NewsBank
Special Reports (Focus on topics of current interest, including
current and background information, statistics, maps, images, web sites,
and suggested search terms. Updated daily.)
- Public Opinion
Polls and Surveys
- Statistical
Data Sources (Links to various government and private sources of
statistical data, including how-to guides.)
Internet
In addition to the databases and Web sites listed above, the Internet
can be a valuable source of information. However, remember to think critically
about the authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage of
the information you find.
Citing Your Sources
Avoiding Plagiarism
Prepared by Kathy
Dabbour, Communication Studies & Journalism Librarian