Subject and Course Guides: Communication 100 : Research Tools

Tips for Searching Databases

The following techniques can improve your searches in many article databases*

Enter phrases in quotes: "global warming" "capital punishment" "organic food"

Use truncation symbols to search for alternate word endings: In most databases, entering ethic* searches for ethic, ethics, ethical and ethically

If one term doesn't work, try a few others. Experiment with different vocabulary related to your topic. Brainstorm ideas for relevant keywords and use background sources such as Wkipedia or CQ Researcher for suggestions.

*Note: individual databases might have varying conventions for how to search. Consult Help or Search Tips within databases or ask a librarian for help with searching

General/Multidisciplinary Databases

The general databases listed below are a good place to begin research but they often provide limited coverage. Use subject-specific databases to find more articles on your topic.

Academic Search Complete
This multidisciplinary database provides access to articles from journals, magazines, and reference sources across all subject areas. Coverage is primarily from 1980 to the present, with some older content.
EBSCOhost
Search EBSCOhost databases, books, and journals here. You may select all or individual databases to search them simultaneously.
EBSCOhost is a powerful online reference system accessible via the Internet. It offers a variety of proprietary full text databases and popular databases from leading information providers.

The comprehensive databases range from general reference collections to specially designed, subject-specific databases for public, academic, medical, corporate and school libraries.
Google Scholar
Searches for scholarly materials such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from broad areas of research. It includes a variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web.
JSTOR
Digitized back issues of scholarly journals with a rolling date of five years ago. Covers a wide variety of disciplines.
Collections of back issues of scholarly journals in the following disciplines: arts and sciences, business, ecology and botany, and general science.
ProQuest Databases
This is a portal to a growing list of Proquest research products, including Theses & Dissertations, Historical Newspapers, ABI/Inform business collection, and more. Note: we do not subscribe to all the titles on the list.
This is a portal to a growing list of Proquest research products, including Theses & Dissertations, Historical Newspapers, ABI/Inform business collection, and more.

Subject-Specific Databases

Subject-specific databases offer in-depth coverage of specific disciplines or subject areas.

ABI/INFORM Global
ABI/INFORM is an extensive business research database with full-text articles from business journals, business and trade magazines and newspapers.
ACM Digital Library
ACM Digital Library offers full text of every article ever published by the Association for Computing Machinery.
Full text of every article ever published by ACM:

* Journals
* Magazines
* Transactions
* Proceedings
* Newsletters
* Publications by Affiliated Organizations
* Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
* ACM Oral History interviews
* Computing Reviews
* The Guide to Computing Literature
Communication & Mass Media Complete
Full text coverage of communication and mass media and related fields.
Communication & Mass Media Complete provides citation coverage in areas related to communication and mass media. This database originated with merging of two databases, CommSearch and Mass Media Articles Index. In addition, Communication & Mass Media Complete offers full text for over 200 titles.
ERIC on EBSCOhost
ERIC is the world's largest education database. Published by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI).
PsycINFO
Now called APA PsycINFO. Abstract and index of Psychology and the psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as medicine, nursing, sociology, business, education, etc.
PsycINFO contains bibliographic citations and abstracts from materials in the field of psychology and the psychological aspects of related disciplines, such as medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, anthropology, business, and law. Updated weekly.
Sociological Abstracts
International literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.
Sociological Abstracts abstracts and indexes the international literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.
Web of Science
Web of Science indexes core journal articles, conference proceedings, data sets, and other resources in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities.

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Communication 100

Tips for Searching Databases

General/Multidisciplinary Databases

Subject-Specific Databases

Locations

Richard J. Daley Library

Library of the Health Sciences-Chicago

Library of the Health Sciences-Peoria

Crawford Library of the Health Sciences-Rockford

Library of the Health Sciences-Urbana