University Library > Research Guides > Communication Research Guides

Intro to Mass Communication

Comm 02 - Charlotta Kratz

undefinedHow to Recognize a Research Article

undefinedFinding Articles Using the Library Databases

undefinedConstructing Your Search Statement

undefinedFinding Books Using OSCAR

undefinedLocating the Full Text of an Article

 

 

 

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A RESEARCH ARTICLE

For this paper, you need to find 3 or 4 articles presenting original research. By original research we mean that the article should present new data (it could be a content analysis, a survey, interview, experiment, etc). The author of the article needs to be the person who conducted the research. Most research articles follow the same model: an abstract, a literature review, a methodology section, the results.

Here's an example of a research article:

Television Beer Advertising and Drinking Knowledge, Beliefs, and Intentions Among Schoolchildren

 

 

 

 

FINDING ARTICLES USING THE LIBRARY DATABASES

The easiest way to find research articles is to use a library database. The library subscribes to more than one hundred databases in various disciplines. For this particular research project you can start by the four databases listed below. All of them are usually available via the library home page at http://www.scu.edu/library , but for right now you can just click on the link to access them.

 Before you connect to the databases there are a few things you need to know:

  • Be sure to read the section on "Constructing a search statement". It will help you get the best results when searching a database.
  • If you are trying to access the databases from off-campus you will be asked for a user id (your name) and a password (the barcode on the back of your access card).
  • Sometimes the full-text of an article won't be available in a database, only a summary. When this happens, follow the instructions under the section: "Locating the Full-Text of An Article".

Now the best databases to start your research:

Communications and Mass Media Complete:
This database "indexes journals in the area of communication studies and mass media, as well as articles on these topics from other research journals". Full text is available for 200 titles.

Communication Abstracts:
This database is the most comprehensive database for communication studies. It includes citations to journal articles, book chapters, research papers and reports from 1977 to the present.

Academic Search Elite:
A multidisciplinary database good for all topics with many full text articles. Just be sure to limit your search to "Peer Reviewed" articles to eliminate from your results popular magazine articles.

Omni File Full-Text:
This huge database indexes and abstracts articles from thousands of periodicals in the social sciences and other disciplines, from 1983 to the present. Full text articles are available for many of them. Limit your search to "Peer Reviewed" articles to eliminate popular magazine articles from your results.

 

 

 

CONSTRUCTING YOUR SEARCH STATEMENT

Searching a database is not like searching Google. You cannot use natural language to describe what you need. You need to use keywords describing your topic and boolean operators (and, or) to link your keywords.

For example, if your topic is "the effects of alcohol advertising on adolescents", you need to find the best keywords to describe your topic. I would suggest:

Alcohol and advertising and adolescents 

 (Notice the AND between your keywords. By using the boolean operator AND, you are telling the database that you want all these keywords to be included in the results)

For each of these keywords, you need to think about possible synonyms. For example:

adolescents or teenagers or youth

(Notice the OR between your synonyms. By using OR, you are telling the database that any of these terms would be acceptable in the results of your search)

A complex search statement for your topic would look like this:

alcohol and advertising and (adolescents or youth or teenagers)

But most of the databases now provide multiple search boxes to make your search easier. In each box, you enter one keyword, or several synonyms. Look for example at this search screen from the database Communications and Mass Media Complete.

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The search above should bring you very good results!

 

 

 

FINDING BOOKS USING OSCAR

So far we have been concentrating on finding journal articles, but you may also be looking for books or book chapters for your research project.

To find books use OSCAR, the library online catalog.

Do keyword searches in OSCAR to find books on your topic. For example:

keyword: advertising and adolescents and television

All the books are now in the Automated Retrieval system (ARS). To request a book, click on the red "Request from the ARS" button in OSCAR, enter your name, and click on "submit" . Thirty minutes later, the book will be available for you at the circulation desk.

 

 

LOCATING THE FULL TEXT OF AN ARTICLE

If the full-text of an article is not available in a database you will have to check if the library has a print subscription to the journal or if it is accessible in electronic format in another database. To do that, follow these easy steps:

  • Go to the Library homepage and use the Journal Finder to search for the journal title (not the article's title).
  • The Journal Finder will return a list of matching titles and the information on the dates available in various databases:
    Journal finder example showing databases and coverage dates.
  • If the date of your article is available in another database, click on the name of the database. You will either be connected to the journal or a database that has the fulltext of the journal. You may have to search for the article again.
  • If the journal is in the University Library Print Holdings, click on the link to check the Library's holdings in OSCAR. If the Library has the dates of your articles, come to the Interim Library to read the article or make a photocopy.
  1. If the article was published in approximately the last year, check the Interim Library current journal shelves.
  2. For older articles, request the appropriate date/volume in OSCAR from the Automated Retrieval System (ARS) and pick up the volume(s) at the Interim Library Circulation Desk.
  • If the Library does not have the journal title either electronically or in print, you can fill out a Bronco Express interlibrary loan request form and the article can be sent to your GroupWise e-mail account. Read more about Bronco Express. You need a valid ACCESS card to place a Bronco Express request.

 

 

Updated on 10/08/07