Theories of Mass Communication
This guide is suggested for students of COM2300 or those interested in mass media.
Communication Subject Guide - For more communication resources.
Finding Articles
Scholarly/Peer-reviewed
Article databases can be searched using key terms to find these articles. There are several useful databases in communicatoin:
Communication and Mass Media Complete
CMMC offers cover-to-cover (core) indexing and abstracts for over 300 journals. Many major journals have indexing, abstracts, PDFs and searchable citations from their first issues to the present.
Communication Abstracts
Communication Abstracts provides abstracting coverage of books and journals in all areas of communication studies (mass, interpersonal and new communication technologies).
ComAbstracts
From the Communication Institute for Online Scholarship, this is a database of the abstracts of primary literature for communication studies. Strong tools for browsing such as concept explorer, idea monkey, and index searches.
News Sources
The Library subscribes to a variety of newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Access to the text of many newspapers is available through Proquest Newspapers and Lexis Nexis Academic.
See also this recent Library Blog post about Fetching Newspapers.
Books
While researching your topic, don’t forget to take a look at the vast collection of books Falvey has to offer. You are probably accustomed to finding scholarly articles as part of a research project, but books are also a significant area of scholarly publishing. Don’t forget to hit the stacks! (Or, click through to our many online and e-books.)
To search for books, go to the library’s Search tab, and then click the smaller Books & More tab. You can search for keywords, or you can use the drop-down menu to search for specific titles or authors.
If your project involves new media, check out the library’s collection of new media books. Here are a couple of highlights:
The Breakup 2.0: disconnecting over new media
by Ilana Gershon
2010
Cornell University Press
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Always On: language in an online and mobile world
by Naomi S. Baron
2010
Oxford University Press
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Hacking: digital media and technological determination
by Tim Jordan
Digital Media and Society Series
2010
Cambridge Polity Press
Handbook of Media AudiencesNeed a book the library doesn’t own? Put a request through our EZ-Borrow or ILLiad services.
Often it is easier to review a book on your topic before beginning your article searches. A book can give a broader perspective on your topic, while journal articles tend to be very narrowly focused. Even if you do not reference the book in your term paper, it can still serve as an important source for finding key scholarly research articles on your topic.
Citations
APA Style
Even though you may have used APA style before, you may be full of dread at the thought of writing your reference list. The library is here to help!
Whether writing your reference list by hand or proofreading a Refworks bibliography, you will definitely need to have the APA rules on hand. Check out the resources below:
- If you need to see the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association-the official authority on all things APA-stop by the Information Desk to browse a copy.
- If you find the Publication Manual confusing or scary (or both), try the APA Online Tutorial. This video guide is clear and easy to watch. It gives a thorough overview of how to format your paper and cite your sources.
- For those trickier scenarios (how do I cite my class notes? how do I cite a blog post?), try searching the APA Style Blog. This is another official APA site, so it is an authoritative source.
- The Purdue OWL and Research & Documentation Online are clear and easy to understand sources of information for how to use APA style. Since they are not official publications of the APA, check the Publication Manual when in doubt.
- Also see the DOI: Digital Object Identifier Research Guide for information about DOIs, where to find them, and how to use them.
Refworks
RefWorks is a Web-based software package designed to help you easily gather, manage, store and share all types of information, as well as generate citations and bibliographies.
See the Library Guide to Refworks for more information.
Helpful Tips & Guides
Citing and Evaluating Resources
DOI: Digital Object Identifier
Request a Research Appointment
Research librarians are ready and waiting to help you with your research! They are available by phone, by email, by instant messaging, or in person. Email Kristyna now, or use the form below to request a research appointment.
