COMN 391 Issues in Communication Seminar
Professor: Dougie Bicket
Library Research Methods/FALL 2005
Librarian: Kate Pitcher

The URL for this class web page:
http://www.geneseo.edu/~pitcher/comn391.htm
 

LEARNING OUTCOMES
 
1. Break apart a topic to form a research statement, using a concept map and subject thesaurus.
 
2. Examine differences in database searching and utilize to maximize search results.
 
3. Understand the different levels of research in communication field.
 
4. Recognize at least 2-3 databases where scholarly research literature may be indexed.
 
5. Use the learned earch strategies to find journal articles.
 
6. Use the "Find Text" service to locate and retrieve full-text articles and books, whether in Milne Library or through Information Delivery Services.
 

Handouts
Concept Map
Hierarchy of Database Searching
Boolean Searching
Levels of Research in Communication

 

To find original research, use specialized tools in different subject areas...
Databases
Communication Abstracts Journal articles in the communication field
 
Sociological Abstracts Journal articles, dissertations in sociology, criminal justice, women studies, etc.
 
PsycINFO Journal articles in psychology, behavior, communication, etc.
 
ERIC Journal articles, documents, reports, in education field.
 
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts Journal articles, dissertations in the field of political science, international relations, government, etc.

 

To find current event pieces, news & radio transcripts, use ...
Transcripts
Lexis-Nexis Choose Lexis-Nexis Academic.
Go to Guided News Search.
Select a News Category, "News Transcripts".
Select a News Source.
Enter your keywords.
 
Federal News Service

Includes a transcript database -->
Go to "Transcript Database" link at top of page.
In the left sidebar, there is a search box to search by keyword for a particular transcript.
 
Newslink Radio and TV transcripts included.
 
Speech & Transcript Center Archived transcripts prior to 2003.
 
Current Events
InfoTrac Choose "InfoTrac OneFile" from list of links.
 
Lexis-Nexis

Choose "Lexis-Nexis" Academic from list.
Go to Guided News Search.
Select a News Category; "General News" is one you can use for current events pieces.
Next, choose a News Source.
 
ProQuest Newspapers & Research Library Choose "ProQuest Newspapers" for news coverage.
Choose "ProQuest Research Library" for magazine and newsweekly coverage.


To find books, media, reference materials in a library...
Library Catalogs
GLOCAT

1. Click on the button for ONLINE CATALOGS from the library homepage.
2. Choose GLOCAT.
You can browse a list alphabetically (by author, title, subject, etc.) or type in keywords.
Searches may also be limited by document type (government document, CD, reference) or year by going into ADVANCED SEARCH at the top of each screen.
 
WorldCAT Worldwide library catalog.
IDS (formerly Interlibrary Loan) is able to request items from all over the country.
1. Click on the button for ONLINE CATALOGS from the library homepage.
2. Choose WorldCAT.
3. Search by title, author, subject, or keywords.
Limit your search by material (books, sound recordings, etc.), date, or even library.


To find out if the library has a journal article you need
(you have the citation, but need to locate the article)...
1. From the College Libraries' home page, (http://library.geneseo.edu), look under "QUICK LINKS".
2. Choose "Looking for Articles?" and on the drop down menu, select "Find Text by Citation".
3. This feature allows you to look for journals, journal articles, and books with only the citation.
4. "Find Text" will point you to the correct location to find text: whether it is available electronically, print in Milne Library, or through Information Delivery Services
(formerly Interlibrary Loan; see below).

To get an item through Information Delivery Services (formerly ILL) ...
If you have a citation to an article, but cannot find it here in Milne Library, you have the option of getting the article from another library by using our Information Delivery Services office. There are two ways of doing this:
1. Go to the library's webpage (http://library.geneseo.edu) and under the heading labeled QUICK LINKS, find "Looking for articles?" and click on the drop-down menu. Choose "Find Text by Citation" and click. Follow the instructions and fill out the form. If the article is NOT available at Milne, you will have the option of submitting a request for the article through IDS.
2. Go to the library's home page and click on the link for FORMS located underneath the Geneseo College Libraries banner. Next, choose Information Delivery Services and enter your username and password. If you have not registered for an IDS account, do so at this time by following instructions. Otherwise, fill out the form with your journal article information and submit.

REMEMBER!
IDS will only obtain items which Milne Library does NOT own or have access to through one of our databases!!


Refer to the following sources for more guidance in
developing search strategies for research in communication:
Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A.M. & Piele, L.J. (2005). Communication research: Strategies and sources (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
 
Ward, J.W. & Hansen, K.A. (1997). Search strategies in mass communication (3rd ed.).
New York: Longman.


Any questions? Please contact:

Kate Pitcher
Reference/Instruction/Government Documents Librarian

Room 201, Milne Library
SUNY Geneseo

©2005, Kate Pitcher