Getting Started
The resources on this page are intended to help you plan your research, identify and refine your topic, build your keyword vocabulary, and find general sources. Explore the other pages on this guide for help locating specific sources for your research.
Plan Your Research
Not sure how long it will take you to complete an assignment? Want to make sure that you're not stuck at the last minute?
The Assignment Calculator can help you plan your work. Don't forget to email yourself the schedule, or print it - both options are at the bottom of the page.
Research Starters
We all use Wikipedia, but if you want something authoritative and reliable, Britannica® Academic is a great option. Like all encyclopedias, this source is a good way to find background information on a topic.
- Encyclopedia Britannica - Academic This link opens in a new windowIf the search widget above isn't working, you can click here to access Britannica Academic.
- Opposing Viewpoints In Context (Gale) This link opens in a new windowIf the search widget above isn't working, you can click here to access Opposing Viewpoints.
This source is very similar to Opposing Viewpoints in Context - it's a good place to look for information on controversial issues.
- Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new windowIf the search widget above isn't working, you can click here to access Points of View Reference Center.
General Reference Sources & Background Information
- Social Media Communications: Concepts, Practices, Data, Law, and Ethics, 2018print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: HM741 .L563 2018
- The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication, 2016print only, Reference Collection, 1st Floor Lobby, call number: P94.7 .I55 2016
- The Handbook of Communication Ethics, 2011also available in print, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: P94 .H353 2011
- The SAGE Handbook of Interpersonal Communication, 2011print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: BF637.C45 I645 2011
Broadcasting & Mass Media: Selected Sources
- Asian American Media Activism: Fighting for Cultural Citizenship, 2016print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: P94.5.A752 U656 2016
- The Routledge Companion to Media and Gender, 2015print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: P96.S5 R68 2015
- American Indians and the Mass Media, 2012print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: P94.5.I53 A64 2012
- Broadcast News Handbook: Writing, Reporting & Producing in a Converging Media World, 2011print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: PN4784.T4 T76 2011
- The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development, 2008print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: HQ784.M3 H26 2008
Journalism: Selected Sources
- Mobile and Social Media Journalism: A Practical Guide for Multimedia Journalism, 2022print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: PN4784.O62 A36 2022
- Journalism Ethics for the Digital Age, 2014print only, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: PN4756 .M85 2014
- Global Journalism Ethics, 2010also available in print, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: PN4756 .W37 2010
- Encyclopedia of Journalism, 2009print only, Reference Collection, 1st Floor Lobby, call number: PN4728 .E48 2009
Public Relations: Selected Sources
- Culture, Social Class, and Race in Public Relations: Perspectives and Applications, 2012also available in print, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: HM1221 .C854 2012
- The AMA Handbook of Public Relations, 2010also available in print, Circulating Collection, 3rd Floor, call number: HD59 .D558 2010