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Communication Research Strategies
To start your research
Part I (15 minutes)
- Look up your topic or a related concept in an encyclopedia or dictionary.
- Note any keywords that might be useful for researching your topic.
- Jot down a few synonyms for those keywords.
- Keep these in mind--add to and change your keywords as needed throughout this exercise.
- Find one article on your topic in JSTOR.
- Try out the Text Analyzer
- Use the Cite This button to create a citation in Chicago style.
- Pick one other Research Database.
- Find one item of interest.
- Note any useful (or challenging) features.
- Use the Cite This button to create a citation in Chicago style.
Part II (10-15 minutes)
- Use the Library Catalog, Library Guide, etc. to find Journalism History.
- There are several database options for viewing this journal--the range of coverage varies by database.
- Make sure to select the option that includes the year(s) you want to view.
- Record the call number and subject of one book on your topic.
- Use Worldcat to find another book on your topic.
Part III (15 minutes)
- Pick one Primary Source Database.
- Find one item of interest.
- Note any useful (or challenging) features.
- If available, use the Cite This button to create a citation in Chicago style.
- Pick one Newspaper Database.
- Note any useful (or challenging) features.
- Find one item of interest.
- If available, use the Cite This button to create a citation in Chicago style.
- Finished early? Try using the Library Catalog, Library Guide, etc. to find the Christian Science Monitor, the Wichita Eagle, or the New York Times.
- What years are not covered by the library?
- What database(s) offer this newspaper.
- What view(s) are available--full text, image, ads?
Hints
Part I (15 minutes)
- Use the Background Research page of this guide to find encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference works.
- JSTOR is linked from the Research Databases page of this guide.
- Use the advanced search filter by discipline to limit your search to History.
- Once you're in JSTOR, you'll see the Text Analyzer on the main page.
- Paste an abstract, several keywords, or other text into the Analyzer to search for similar content in JSTOR.
- See the Research Databases page of this guide.
- For best results, use the advanced search.
Part II (10-15 minutes)
- The quickest way to find a journal is to type the title--in quotes--into SmartSearch or the Library Catalog and search by Title.
- SmartSearch and the Catalog are available on the Library home page.
- Keep clicking until you see a link called "Click here for available full text of this journal."
- You'll notice that we have full coverage online as well as many print copies.
- A book's call number tells you where it is on the shelf.
- You can find the call number in the Library Catalog linked from the Books page of this guide.
- Try some of the strategies listed at the bottom of the Books page to find more books on your topic.
- Worldcat is linked from the Books page of this guide.
Part III (15 minutes)
- Each database has special features -- it's not usually possible to search more than one database at a time.
- Newspaper Databases contain hundreds of Newspapers in a single database.
- They can be text only or images of full newspaper pages.
- Searching can be complex -- ask for help if you need it!
- Newspaper Databases contain hundreds of Newspapers in a single database.
- They can be text only or images of full newspaper pages.
- Sometimes newspapers are only available on microfilm.
- If we don't have the microfilm here, you can request it via ILL.
- Newspaper searching can be complex -- ask for help if you need it!
