Communication Studies

IC Library Print & Media Resources
IC Library Databases (Articles)
Web Resources
Citation Help

IC Library Print & Media Resources

Selected Subject Searches

IC Library Databases (Articles)

Preamble

There is no way to anticipate the topic you may choose or be assigned for either a speech or a research project in communication, psycholinguistics, or sociolinguistics. Below is a selection of databases that should be useful across a wide variety of subjects, and under each I have supplied some sample Subject Headings for Speech Communication. If your topic clearly falls under some other discipline (Anthropology, Environmental Science, Psychology, Sports, Television), also check for a more targeted "Research Guide" on the Library's home page.

Journals by Title

Note: The databases below allow you to search by topic for articles in thousands of newspapers, magazines, and journals. If you wish to see full-text availability for a particular publication, use the Journal Titles search on the Library home page. You can also use the following links to browse full-text journals in English Language and Philology & Linguistics.

General OneFile

      General OneFile : is the most user-friendly of our comprehensive databases, covering almost any topic from a wide range of disciplinary angles and offering lots of full text. Use the default Subject search to find the best subject heading for your topic (and when you find a good one be sure to look at the "Related Subjects" to see if there's something even better). Among the Subjects available here are Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Communication Apprehension, Conversation, Interpersonal Communication, Intercultural Communication, Linguistic Analysis, Forensic Oratory, Political Oratory, and Rhetoric.
      When you settle on a subject heading, open the "Subdivisions" link below it. Most General OneFile subject searchs produce very large retrievals and the "subdivisions" help you narrow your search to a particular aspect: "Economic aspects," "Ethical aspects," "Forecasts and Trends," "History," "Media Coverage," "Political aspects," "Psychological aspects," "Social aspects," and "Statistics," to name only a few.
If the best available subdivision is still too broad, open it and add your own Keywords in the "Search within these results" slot at the upper left.
      And note: If yor're looking for the transcript and/or audio of a speech by a particular person or on a specific topic, search the person (last name first) or topic in the initial Subject slot, then open the "Subdivisions" and see if there's one for "Speeches, Lectures, and Essays." If there is, open it and look for transcripts (also note that under "Content Types" at the upper left there may be link to "Audio").
      User Advisory: When first viewing your retrievals in General OneFile, note that you are seeing onlythe "Magazines" (popular articles) and must click on the tabs for "Academic Journals" (scholarly articles) or "News" (newspaper articles) to see those results.

Academic Search Premier

      Academic Search Premier Comprehensive subject coverage with considerable full text. Note that there is a “Subject Terms” link just above the search boxes, allowing you to search the index of Subject Headings--often a good first stop for more efficient Subject searching whereby you are guaranteed that your topic is indeed a main subject of the articles retrieved.
      If you're looking for a speech transcript for a person or on a particular topic, set the "Document Type" limit--below the search slots on the left--to "Speech," and then search the person in the "PE People" field, last name first, or enter the topic in the Keyword or Subject field.
      A good initial strategy in this database is to search a likely topic in the Subject Terms and when you find it “explode” the term by double clicking it--this brings up a list of related Subject terms. You can check as many terms as you like before "adding" them to your search by AND-ing or OR-ing them together. Among the Headings available here are Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Speech Anxiety, Speech Acts, Psycholinguistics, Communicative Competence, Language & Emotions, and Intercultural Communication. And try exploding Interpersonal Communication to see the vast range of related Subjects.
      User Advisory: For any retrieved set of articles, there will be a box displayed on the left that will limit the articles to “Scholarly” journals—just check the box and click the “Update Results” button below.
And note that on the initial search screen you are offered a "Document Type" limit that can be set to "Speech" or, if you are researching an issue, "Editorial."

Communication & Mass Media

Communication and Mass Media Complete (CMMC) : Like Academic Search Premier, this is an Ebsco database with most of the features described above. Use the Thesaurus above the search slots to browse available Subject Headings. Once you find one, "explode" it by double clicking and scan all the related Headings. Among those available here are Oral Communication, Conversation, Interpersonal Communication, Public Speaking, Verbal Ability, Communication Competence, Sociolinguistics, Language & Culture, Discourse Analysis, and Oratory.

Communication Studies

Communication Studies: a SAGE Full-Text Collection : As compared to Communication and Mass Media above, this database is more exclusively focused on media and culture in relation to communication. The Descriptors (Subject Headings) may be browsed in advance if you click on "Browse" above the search slots, then choose "Browse/Search by Descriptor," and then choose "Communication Studies" as your collection. Among the available Descriptors are Oral Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Conversation, Discourse Analysis, Rhetoric, and Cross Cultural Communication.

ProQuest Research

      ProQuest Research Library : is a comprehensive database with substantial full text. Use the "Thesaurus" (above the search slots) to preview what Subject Headings are available. Subect searching can be a more efficient way to search than with only Keywords, since it guarantees that the articles retrieved actually be about the Subject--not just use a particular word. The Headings here include Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Conversation, Psycholinguistics, and Sociolinguistics.
      Note that to the right of your search results you can limit your retrieval by "Source Type" (including Magazines, Newspapers, Scholarly Journals), "Document Type," (including Cover Story, Editorial, or Interview), "Document Feature" (including Photographs, Illustrations), and "Location."
Above each set of articles you retrieve ProQuest will display related Subject searches to help either broaden or narrow your focus.
      User Advisory: ProQuest is fussy about entering Subject searches in the designated search slot. If your subject is a person, enter the name--last name first--in the "Person" slot; if a named group of any kind--Microsoft, the Catholic Church, Radiohead, the New York Mets--enter it in "Co/Org"; if a place enter it in "Location."

PsycINFO

   PsycINFO :  The American Psychological Association use their own Subject vocabulary , so a visit to the "Thesaurus" above the search slots is a good idea. If you find an article on exactly what you want, be sure to check the assigned "Subjects" for more ideas about useful search terms. Among the Subjects available here are Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Speech Anxiety, Interpersonal Communication, Speech Perception, Psycholinguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, and Metalinguistics.
     PsycINFO deals only with scholarly literature, much of it assuming a graduate-level understanding of the discipline. But among these you may find interesting, accessible articles on your topic.
     User Advisory: If what you're searching for are "journal articles only" in "English," it's a good idea to check those boxes (below the search slots).

SocINDEX

SocINDEX with Full Text : As the name implies, an excellent database for social issues. Click on the "Subject Terms" link above the search slots to find which Subject Headings will work here. Double click any Heading for a list of broader, narower, and related Subject Terms. And note that you can check the boxes to select as many Headings as you like and then "add to search using or" and run the search--all without even retyping the terms back on the home page. In addition to the usual Headings for Oral Communication and Public Speaking, you'll find Sociolinguistics, English Language--Social Aspects, Speech & Social Status, Racism in Language, Language Minorities, Language Policy, and Intercultural Communication..

JSTOR

      JSTOR : covers a wide range of scholarly journals in most disciiplines, always beginning with the first issue of each one. This provides 100% full text access to articles from not only the first half of the 20th century but even the second half of the 19th. Be aware, however, that at the other end of the date range articles don't appear in JSTOR until at least 2-3 years after publication. Also be aware that for 100% full text you must change the setting from "include links to external content" to "include only content I can access."
      JSTOR offers only a Keyword search of its complete full text, so retrievals are large, but the relevancy ranking does a good job of putting the strongest matches on the first few pages. This relevancy ranking does not weigh date, however, and will display a mix of articles written decades apart. So if your topic is time sensitive, be alert to publication dates.
      User Advisory: The academic journals covered here feature numerous book reviews, so it's a good idea to tic the "Article" limit below the search slots so you won't be overwhelmed by book reviews on your topic.
Also note the "Date Range" limit, which in a database with an archive this deep can be very useful.

LexisNexis

     LexisNexis Academic News:  Our best national, international, and local newspaper coverage--100% full text. Don't settle for the default "Easy Search"--choose "News" at the lower left and then "All News." Then change the default "Everywhere" search to "Headline & Lead" (otherwise a keyword searche of full text will retrieve too many irrelevant hits). Even more effective at targeting articles where your topic is discussed, not simply mentioned, is to use the "At Least 5 Occurences" option--but first ask yourself if the articles you want would in fact be likely to use your search terms at least 5 times.
   Use "Specify date" to select a time range also helps narrow your results. Also be aware that by clicking on the "Sources" at the bottom left, then choosing "Browse Sources" and opening the "News" folder, you can access an alphabetical list of individual news sources that includes every state. By checking boxes you can compare how an issue is covered in, say, Vermont versus Alabama.

     LexisNexis Academic Law Reviews: Most issues have legal ramifications and result in court cases. In reviewing these cases, legal scholars provide analysis and discussion of a wide range of topics. Click on the "US Legal" button at the lower left and then choose "Law Reviews."
As in the "News" section, this is a Keyword search of full text, so use the "At Least 5 Occurences" search option to focus on sustained discussion. With lengthy law review articles, this is generally a very safe limit to set.

ScienceDirect

ScienceDirect : Don't be misled by the name: ScienceDirect covers both the Sciences and Social Sciences. Because it’s a large database with a great deal of full text, the absence of Subject searching means that your Keyword searches will often retrieve large sets of articles, many of which mention but don’t discuss your search term(s). One way around this is to limit your initial search to the “Abstract Title Keyword” field. Once you have found an article that sounds on-target, click the “Related Articles” link beneath the citation This will open a range of articles on the same topic. For a glimpse of the kind of resources you can find here, try--communication and (sex or gender)--in the AbstractTitleKeyword field.
User Advisory: Don't settle for the default "Quick Search"--open "Search" for the full range of options. Among thse you can uncheck "All books," which is recommended if you're looking for articles. And if you open the "Dates" drop-down menu you'll find a much wider range of options than the default 10 year span.

Polling the Nations

Polling the Nations : Polling data can be useful in making a persuasive argument, and this database provides a wide range of sources from 1986 to the present. Click on "Begin Search" and then take advantage of the drop-down menu of available "Topics." You can also specify the "Universe" or geographic location of the poll, but the bulk of the polling information here is from North America and Western Europe.

User Advisory: Begin by searching on a Topic without place or date limits--to see the full extent of available data. If this proves sufficiently large, then add desired limits by location, date, or pollinng source. All these limits can dramatically reduce your retrievals--which is why it's a good idea first to establish the full extent of polling data on a given topic.

Where's the full text for this Article??

Few databases offer 100% full text. Most retrieve a mix of full text articles and article "citations"--article title, author(s), publication info, and usually an "abstract" or one-prargraph summary of the content. When a citation makes you want the full text, look below it for this icon:

Clicking "GETIT" checks (almost all) the IC Library's other databases to see if any offers the full text of the article--or if the Library has a print subscription to the journal in which the article appeared.

"GETIT" will usually find the full text in another database and open it in a new window.

If none of our databases can access the full text but we have a print subsciption to the journal, "GETIT" will retrieve the Library catalog record for the journal so that you can see if the date of the article falls within the date range we have on hand.

If full text is not available from any database or from a print subsciption, "GETIT" will provide a link to the IC Library's Interlibrary Loan. Log in (same as your IC e-mail)--and set up your account if you've never used it before. "GETIT" will have populated the article request form with all the necessary information and you simply submit the request elecrtonically. Most articles are supplied as digital files and will be sent to you via e-mail when they arrive.

Articles: Gauging the Slant

Some research topics involve politicized public policy debates, so remember that magazines are more likely than either scholarly journals or newspapers to have distinct political affiliations, of which you should be aware to critically evaluate your sources. Below are some broad categorizations of my own:
Liberal journals include Mother Jones, Village Voice, The Nation, The Progressive, Washington Monthly, Utne Reader, Tikkum, Dissent, American Prospect, New York Review of Books, New Leader, Rolling Stone, Z Magazine, New Statesman (British), Guardian Weekly (British).

Conservative journals include American Spectator, National Review, Weekly Standard, American Enterprise, Commentary, American Outlook, Policy Review and The Spectator (British).

And if you don’t believe me, take a look at Yahoo’s lists of “conservative” and “progressive” magazines.

Contact Us

Brian Saunders

Humanities Librarian

(607) 274-1198

More of Brian's guides

Dashboard

Article QuickSearch

Brush Up Your English

English Language: Print & Web Resources

Need a Topic?

Try Finding a Topic: Online Resources.

Related Research Guides

Web Resources

Selected Sites

Communication Studies: Index of Online Resources: Good set of links from the Department of Communication Studies at the U of Iowa.

National Communication Association: Use the "Explore Our Member Communities" categories at the top.

American Rhetoric: Database of and index to 5000+ full text, audio and video versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews, other recorded media events, and a declaration or two.

ResearchChannel Video Library: Over 3500 videos of public speakers, arranged by category.

Forum Network: Audio/Video files collected by PBS/NPR. This link takes you to the advanced search screen where you can browse general categories and subcategories, in addition to a keyword search.

Speeches: Audiovideo files from History.com--almost 1500 videos and over 500 audios.

Internet Audio Archive: Over two hundred thousand free digital recordings.

Great Speeches Collection: The History Place: transcripts and audiofiles.

Online Media Resources: From UC Berkeley, a comprehensive gateway to video and audio resources on the Web.

Earliest Voices: A library of audio files and transcripts of voices from the first fifty years of sound recording: 1877-1927.

World's Famous Orations: Links to the full text of almost 300 speeches chosen by William Jennings Bryant in 1906.

Famous Speeches and Speech Topics: If you can dodge the annoying pop-up advertisements there is some useful content here--especially in the Giving & Writing a Speech section.

Gifts of Speech: Women's Speeches from around the World: Transcripts. Use "Browse" to locate speeches by speaker.

Say It Plain: A Century of Great African American Speeches: Transcripts and audiofiles--use the "listen to the speech" link after the introductory information for each speech.

American Presidency Project: Transcripts of presidential debates 1960 & 1976-2008. And while you're there check out the archive of presidential audiovisual files.

I Do Solemnly Swear: Presidential Inaugurations: Transcripts from Washington to Obama.

Advanced Public Speaking Institute: A range of brief articles on public speaking.

Open Directory Project: Public Speaking: Gateway.

Yahoo Directory: Public Speaking.

Silva Rhetoricae: Dr. Gideon Burton's guide to classical rhetoric and its contemporary relevance. Choose a topic from the left column or a term from the right.

Need Help Giving a Speech?: Toastmasters provides a handful of free resources.

Citation Help

APA Citation

IC Library's APA Cheat Sheet (pdf)

IC Library's APA FAQs

APA Style Web site

APA sample paper (Purdue U) (pdf)

MLA "Cite LIke the Devil" Guides

MLA citation for books: in print, from databases, on the Web
MLA citation for articles: in print, from databases, on the Web.
MLA citation for Web and Multimedia resources, including Web sites, movies, DVDs, CDs, and videos.
MLA in-text (parenthetical) citation (far less satanic than the first three).

Communication Studies

Table of Contents

IC Library Print & Media Resources

Selected Subject Searches

IC Library Databases (Articles)

Preamble

Journals by Title

General OneFile

Academic Search Premier

Communication & Mass Media

Communication Studies

ProQuest Research

PsycINFO

SocINDEX

JSTOR

LexisNexis

ScienceDirect

Polling the Nations

Where's the full text for this Article??

Articles: Gauging the Slant

Contact Us

Dashboard

Article QuickSearch

Brush Up Your English

Need a Topic?

Related Research Guides

Web Resources

Selected Sites

Citation Help

APA Citation

MLA "Cite LIke the Devil" Guides