Communication Research for Graduate Students

A resource guide for graduate students in Communication.

Journalism Selector

Profile Photo
Molly Boyd
she, her
Contact:
MULN 417
(479) 575-2962

Chat with Us

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries--The Basics

All good research of a topic begins with a solid definition or a clear overview of the topic. Encyclopedias and dictionaries offer clear, concise information about a topic and are a good starting point. Encyclopedias are good for an overview of your topic, while dictionaries are useful for "sound bite" definitions that are easy to insert into the beginning of a paper or speech. For basic information, try these general favorites:

Current Topics in the News

For more detailed information and an in-depth overview of current topics in the news, try these excellent sources:

BIG reference databases

Large collections of reference material are available through the Libraries, which you can search in one stop (which may give you "false" returns), or you can drill down to specific encyclopedias or dictionaries for more precise results.

In-Depth, Topic-Specific Search

Finally, look for a particular topic in one of the many specialty encyclopedias or dictionaries, like these: