Journalism and Mass Communications Research Guide
"Journalism is the art of collecting varying kinds of information (commonly called 'news') which a few people possess and of transmitting it to a much larger number of people who are supposed to desire to share it"
--Henry Luce
Simpson's Contemporary Quotations, compiled by James B. Simpson. 1988.
This online guide is developed specifically for those doing research on the topic of journalism as well as for students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications engaging in research on news stories, public relations, advertising and other related assignments. It provides a recommended list of resources, which encompasses print materials, electronic databases, and selected Internet resources.
Because journalism and mass communications interact with many disciplines such as history, psychology, philosophy, and sociology, you may need to consult resources in those fields also.
For more extensive research help, contact Jennifer Sias, Instruction/Reference Librarian and subject specialist for Journalism and Mass Communications, at 696-6577.
Latest News & Research
Headlines collected from The Poynter Institute, and Editor and Publisher
Books
Use the online catalog MILES to locate books in the Marshall University libraries. The following Library of Congress Subject Headings are examples of terms that can be used with the Basic Search by Subject Heading to locate books in the Marshall University libraries:
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Advertising - Narrower terms include: Advertising specialties, Advocacy advertising, Afro-Americans in advertising, Broadcast advertising, Internet advertising, market surveys, radio advertising, etc.
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Communication - Narrower terms include: Business communication, mass media, miscommunication, oral communication, visual communication, written communication, etc.
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Communication-Methodology
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Communication-Political aspects
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Communication-Psychological aspects
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Communication-Research
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Communication and culture
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Communication criticism
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Communication in marketing
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Journalism - Narrower terms include: Broadcast journalism, Editorials, Feature stories, Freelance journalism, Interviewing in journalism, Local government and the press, Photojournalism, Press, Race relations and the press, Sports journalism, etc.
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Journalism--United States
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Journalism-Editing
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Journalism-Objectivity
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Journalism, College
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Journalism, Commercial
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Journalism, Educational
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Journalism and Education
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Mass Media - Narrower terms include: Afro-Americans and mass media, Capitalism in mass media, Crime in mass media, Documentary mass media, Scandals in mass media, etc.
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Mass Media-Censorship
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Mass Media-Influence
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Mass Media-Law and legislation
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Mass Media-United States
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Mass Media and public opinion
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Public Relations - Narrower terms include: Customer relations, Press agents, Press conferences, etc.
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Retail trade - Narrower terms include: Advertising, Selling, etc.
For additional, useful subject headings for your topic, consult the following listings, available in the Reference Collection: Library of Congress Subject Headings (Reference Desk)
Browse the shelves in these call number areas to find books devoted to journalism and mass communication:
HF 5801-JF6182 Advertising
P87-96 Communication
PN4699-5650 Journalism
P87-96 Mass media
HD59-HD59.6 Public relations [management]
HM263 Public relations [social psychology]
HF5428 Retail trade
For a full listing of Call Number Sub-classifications visit the Library of Congress web site at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/lcco.html
For books at other libraries, search other Library catalogs over the Web. Books not owned by Marshall University Libraries may be ordered from other libraries using the Information Delivery Services (IDS).
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Journal & Magazine Articles
The online databases and indexes listed below will provide references to articles (or in some cases full-text articles) in a wide range of periodicals, from news magazines and newspapers to scholarly and professional journals. If you have questions about choosing or using a database or index, please consult a librarian.
Full-Text Databases
- Academic Search Premier - EBSCOhost
The worlds largest academic multi-disciplinary database. Full text articles for nearly 4,650 publications, including more than 3,600 peer-reviewed journals. PDF backfiles to 1975 or further are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles. Coverage: 1975 - current
Hint: Academic Search Premier is a good first step to begin searching for articles and book reviews, and you should start there. Remember, articles that can't be printed as full-text or image may be available elsewhere in the Library. Check Journals Search for library holdings
Specialty Indexes
- Communication & Mass Media Complete - EBSCOhost
Extensive coverage of core journals in communication and mass media studies, related journals and reviews, as well as encyclopedias and handbooks. Coverage: varies; many journals go back to first issue - Academic (LexisNexis) - LexisNexis
Full-text articles and documents from over 5,900 news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications. News sources include newspapers, wire services, and more. Legal sources include U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, international, and Shepards Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789. Coverage: varies
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National and regional newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts, international news, and non-English language sources
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U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, and international legal information
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Shepard's Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789
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Business news journals, company financial information, SEC filings and reports, and industry and market news
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- Business Source Premier - EBSCOhost
This is the worlds largest full text business database and provides full text articles for more than 8,350 scholarly business journals, including full text for nearly 1,100 peer-reviewed business publications. Coverage includes vitually all subject areas related to business. Full text (PDF) for more than 350 of the top scholarly journals. Coverage: As far back as 1922 - Newspaper Source - EBSCOhost
Newspaper Source provides selected full text for 25 national (U.S.) and international newspapers. The database also contains full text television & radio news transcripts, and selected full text for more than 200 regional (U.S.) newspapers. (Courtesy of the WV Library Commission) Coverage: varies - AltPressIndex - FirstSearch
Indexes nearly 300 alternative, radical and left periodicals, newspapers and magazines covering cultural, economic, political, and social change. Coverage: 1991 to the present - AltPressIndexArchive - FirstSearch
Archive of more than 700 alternative, radical and left periodicals, newspapers and magazines covering cultural, economic, political, and social change. Coverage: 1969-1990
Does the Library Have Your Article?
Once you have a citation for your article:
- Try Journals Search
Look up the title of the journal or magazine that your article appeared in. If the periodical shows up on the list, follow the link to the article database that contains it or find the copy in the library.
- If you need a book the library doesn't own, you can request a copy through E-Z Borrow. In addition, you can request articles and books through Information Delivery Services. Most articles are delivered over the web at no charge; paper copies are .10 a page.
Selected Periodicals to which MU Libraries subscribe
- American Journalism
- American Journalism Review
- Columbia Journalism Review
- Communication, Journalism Education Today
- Communication Research
- Journalism & Mass Communication Educator
- Journalism & Mass Communication Monographs
- Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
- Journalism Bulletin
- Journalism History
- Journalism Quarterly
- Journalism Studies
- Journal of Advertising
- Journal of Advertising Research
- Journal of Communication
- Journal of Mass Media Ethics
- Journal of Public Relations Research
- Media Ethics
- Media History
- Newspaper Research Journal
- Public Opinion Quarterly
- Public Relations Review
- St. Louis Journalism Review
- Women's Studies in Communication
Selected Journalism Trade Publications to which MU Libraries Subscribe
- Editor & Publisher
- Media Week
- News Media & The Law
- Presstime
- Quill
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Background & Reference Sources
Almanac
- Internet Public Library
- Information Please Almanac (online and print version)
Encyclopedias
Statistical Sources
- Statistical Abstract of the United States
- Fast Stats - National Center for Health Statistics, CDC
- National Center for Education Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau Subjects A to Z
- FedStats, A-Z
- Statistical (Lexis-Nexis)
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Biographical Sources
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Company Information
- Academic (LexisNexis) - LexisNexis
Full-text articles and documents from over 5,900 news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications. News sources include newspapers, wire services, and more. Legal sources include U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, international, and Shepards Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789. Coverage: varies
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Legal Information
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Databases related to law, legal research, and criminal justice
- Academic (LexisNexis) - LexisNexis
Full-text articles and documents from over 5,900 news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications. News sources include newspapers, wire services, and more. Legal sources include U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, international, and Shepards Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789. Coverage: varies - WestLaw Campus - WestLaw Campus
Legal research database that includes state and federal statutes and case decisions as well as encyclopedias, CFR, Federal Register, reviews and periodicals. Coverage: varies
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Public Opinion
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Justice Talking
http://www.justicetalking.org/
Produced by NPR, this site focuses on current topics of concern (such as privacy, free speech, gender discrimination in the workplace among many others). Two experts explore/debate the issue, and overviews and related resources are provided. RealPlayer is required to access the program. -
The Gallup Poll - http://www.galluppoll.com/
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Pew Research Center for People and the Press - http://people-press.org/
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Public Agenda Online Recommended
http://www.publicagenda.org/index.cfm
This website provides policy options and public opinion with nonpartisan issue guides. Topics include abortion, crime, the environment, the family, gay rights, internet privacy, immigration, race, and the right to die. For each issue they provide background materials, facts and trends in graph form, recent news stories, public opinion polls, and more. -
SpeakOut.com Recommended
http://speakout.com/activism/issues/
Provides a place to research hundreds of issues, in categories like crime, justice and the law, defense and international affairs, energy, environment, poverty and welfare, and society, culture and values. -
Documents in the News: Current Events Research
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/docnews.html
From the University of Michigan, this site provides links to government information sources and web sites that deal with current events in the news. The archive goes back to 1995 and includes topics such as assisted suicide, cloning, terrorism, and campaign finance reform.
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Newspapers
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Academic (LexisNexis) - LexisNexis
Full-text articles and documents from over 5,900 news, business, legal, medical, and reference publications. News sources include newspapers, wire services, and more. Legal sources include U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, international, and Shepards Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789. Coverage: varies
Has indexing and full-text for national and regional newspapers and wire services; Charleston Gazette and Daily Mail are included.
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Charleston Newspapers Index
Charleston Newspapers (The Charleston Gazette and The Daily Mail) provide searching of their own index. Use the citations you find to track down the articles here at Marshall. Search MILES to determine if we have it in paper or microfilm. Note: The Charleston papers are also found in LEXIS-NEXIS Academic. -
Huntington Herald-Dispatch
Search the online Archives for citation information and get the article on microfilm at the MEDIA Desk (Drinko, 2nd Floor).
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West Virginia Resources
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Searching the Web
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Virtual Reference
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Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, & More - Marshall University
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Ask a Librarian - Marshall University
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Journalism/Media Sites and Resources
- Narrative Nieman Digest - http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/narrative/digest/
- AJR – American Journalism Review http://www.ajr.org/
- Poynter Online http://www.poynter.org/
- News University - http://www.newsu.org/Default.aspx?
- Online News Association - http://journalists.org/
- Pew Center for Civic Journalism - http://www.pewcenter.org/
- Power Reporting –thousands of free research tools for journalists http://www.powerreporting.org/
- Facsnet Backgrounders – information and analysis to help you understand various policy issues - http://www.facsnet.org/tools/nbgs/nbgs.php3
- Who is John Doe and how to get the paper on him - http://www.reporter.org/desktop/tips/johndoe.htm
- ExpertClick.com – Yearbook of Experts Online - http://www.expertclick.com/
- JournalistsToolBox: 12,000 links from Mike Reilly http://www.journaliststoolbox.com
- Deadline Online - http://www.deadlineonline.com/
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Prepared by Jennifer Sias, Instruction and Reference Librarian,
Associate Professor & Subject Specialist for Journalism and Mass Communications
Updated 7/11/2005
