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Communication Studies Research Guide
The Reference Collection is an excellent place to jumpstart your research and return to when you get stuck. The encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and annuals listed below are all recommended for communication studies research. Most items listed below are in Carrier Library's Reference section, which is to the RIGHT of the Reference desk.
Getting Started | Defining Your Terms | Finding Literature Reviews
Getting Started: Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias help to define terms, offer introductions, basic facts, and brief lists of articles and books. They are excellent places to start your research.
Encyclopedia of communication and information (Ref P87.5 .E53 2001)
Encyclopedia of international media and communications (Ref P87.5 .E532 2003)
International encyclopedia of communications (Ref P87.5 .I5 1989)
Defining Your Terms: Dictionaries
Need to learn the lingo? The specialized dictionaries listed below are all excellent choices.
The A-Z of social research (REF H62 .A9 2003)
The A-Z of social research jargon (REF H49.5 .A15 1998)
Dictionary of media & communication studies (REF P87.5 .W38 2000)
A dictionary of psychology (Colman) (REF BF31 .C65 2001)
The dictionary of psychology (Corsini) (REF BF31 .C72 1999)
Dictionary of sociology (REF HM17 .L392 2001)
Dictionary of the social sciences (REF H41 .D53 2002)
The Penguin dictionary of sociology (REF HM17 .A23 2000)
Finding Literature Reviews
Handbooks & Annuals
Handbooks and annual reviews are similar to encyclopedias, but more scholarly. They often offer literature reviews that can cut your research time in half.
Communication yearbook (P87 .C5974)
This title is indexed like a journal in Communication Abstracts, so you can also search for chapters within it. The volumes are shelved in the Stacks and can be checked out. Check LEO to see which ones are available.
Handbook of communication science (Ref P90 .H294 1987)
Handbook of interpersonal communication (Ref BF637 .C45 H287 2002)
Handbook of media and communications research (P91.3 .H34 2002)
Other Sources for Literature Reviews
Don't ignore books in the general collection as potential sources for extensive bibliographies and literature reviews.
PsycINFO is used primarily to find scholarly, research articles and books. Plenty of literature review articles and book chapters are indexed in there, too.
To find them:
- Type in your keywords or subject terms.
- In the "Refine Search" tab, look for the "Methodology" limit and scroll down to choose "Literature Review"
- Click Search.
