To Find Books
Use the MERLIN Library Catalog and the MOBIUS Union Catalog to find resources relevant to your research. Relevant works can be found using subject headings (Library of Congress) such as:
- Communication
- Journalism
- Knowledge, Sociology of
- Language and Languages
- Mass Media
- Motion Pictures (use instead of "films" or "movies")
- Persuasion Psychology
- Rhetoric
Works relevant to more narrowly-defined areas in the study of human communication can also be found using subject headings such as:
- Advertising
- African Americans in Motion Pictures
- Business Communication
- Communication - Social Aspects
- Discourse Analysis
- Intercultural Communication
- Propaganda
- Sexism in Language
To find the location of a book in Miller Nichols Library, see the Location Guide.
To Find Articles
Remote (off-campus) access to databases is available only to UMKC students, faculty, and staff. All other users must access online resources within the Libraries. Begin searching by selecting a database. After selection you will be prompted to provide a UMKC Single Sign-On user name and password OR the number 0 plus an 8-digit UMKC ID number plus the letter k (example: 0123456789k) and last name, as needed.
- Communication Abstracts
Second Floor Periodicals, 2000 - present
Electronic version, 1998- 2002
Indexes and abstracts communications-related articles, books and reports. -
Communication & Mass Media Complete (EBSCOHost) 1915 - present.
Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1915 - present.
Articles indexed cover a wide range of topics in the area of communication studies. - Index
to Journals in Communication Studies through 1995, Ronald J. Matlon,
ed.
Ready Ref P87.5 .I54 1997
Often referred to simply as the "Matlon Index," this publication provides the tables of contents of 15 core journals in the field of communication studies from first publication to 1995. - JSTOR 1838 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Full text. Coverage varies by title.
Contains fully searchable scanned articles from selected journals in a broad range of disciplines, including articles related to various aspects of communication studies. Covers the full run of journals from the first issue of volume one; however, the most recent three to five years of journals are not generally available.
- MLA International Bibliography (Chadwyck-Healey) 1884 - present. Save to del.icio.us
An index to scholarship in literature, linguistics, film, folklore, and cultural studies. The print version of this bibliography is available in the Miller Nichols Library and covers 1921 - 1999. The location and call number are Reference Index Wall Z7006 .M64. See the MLA Directory of Periodicals for a list of periodicals indexed.
Communication Studies Articles in Other Subject Fields
- ABI/INFORM Global (ProQuest) 1971 - present. Save to del.icio.us.
Selected full text 1985 - present.
Includes articles related to communication in business and organizations. -
Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) 1975 - present.
Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1975 - present.
This multidisciplinary database indexes and abstracts journals in a broad range of subjects, including film studies. Full text is available for a large proportion of the titles. A high percentage of titles are peer-reviewed. -
Business
Source Premier (EBSCOhost) 1922 - present; coverage varies by title Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1922 - present; coverage varies by title.
Includes articles related to business communication and the communications industry. -
Education Full Text (Wilson) 1983 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1996 - present.
A source for articles related to communication in schools, among educators and among children. - ERIC (CSA) 1966 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Links to selected full text, 1993 - 2004.
"The ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to provide extensive access to educational-related literature." [Source: ERIC Factsheet, accessed February 17, 2005]
- Ethnic NewsWatch (ProQuest) 1990 - present; coverage varies by title. Save to del.icio.us
Full text 1990 - present; coverage varies by title.
Articles in ethnic newspapers related to communication, especially in ethnic communities and among ethnic groups, are available through this source. -
Hispanic American Periodicals (HAPI) 1970 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Includes references to articles on communication related to Hispanics in the United States and Latin America. - LexisNexis Academic 1969 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1980 - present.
Provides citations and abstracts or the full text of materials covering general news topics, including articles related to communication studies. Available resources include newspapers, magazines, and journals. - MEDLINE (Ovid) 1950 - present. Save to del.icio.us
MEDLINE (Ovid) 1950 - 1995. Save to del.icio.us
MEDLINE (Ovid) 1996 - present. Save to del.icio.us
MEDLINE Daily Update (Ovid) Current edition. Save to del.icio.us
Links to full text.
Includes articles related to communication in the health professions. - OmniFile V Full Text (Wilson) 1982 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1994 - present.
Includes some full-text articles from journals in communications studies. - Philosopher's Index (FirstSearch) 1940 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Covers communication issues from the philosophical perspective. - Project MUSE (Premium Collection) Save to del.icio.us
Full text 1993 - present.
New Additional journals are now available with the upgrade to Project MUSE Premium Collection.
Supplies full-text articles from scholarly journals in literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, and gender studies. - PsycINFO (Ovid) 1872 - present. Save to del.icio.us
PsycINFO (Ovid) 1967 - present. Save to del.icio.us
PsycINFO (Ovid) 1985 - present. Save
to del.icio.us
Includes articles on communication in psychology journals.Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCOhost Web Interface) 1965 - present.
Save to del.icio.us
Selected full text 1965 - present.
Contains articles on the psychological view of communication, as well as professional communication in the field of psychology. -
Social Services Abstracts (CSA) 1980 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Includes articles related to communication in areas of social service. - Social Work Abstracts (Ovid) 1977 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Note: Ovid has a new look and easier searching – to switch to the traditional search options, click on the "Advanced Ovid Search" tab.
Cites articles related to communication in the field of social work. -
Sociological Abstracts (CSA) 1963 - present. Save to del.icio.us
Provides references to articles on communication from the sociological perspective.
Note: Remember to also make use of additional resources for locating articles in the specific disciplines that you are bringing to the study of communications (e.g., if you are interested in the psychology of communication, you should consult not only the resources listed here, but also those listed on the Library Guide to Psychology).
Resources for Finding Journals and Articles
Tools for locating the text of an article either online or in print format include Serials Solutions and the MERLIN Library Catalog.
University Libraries Photocopying and Printing ServicesSelected Journals
This list includes journals available in the University Libraries in print and/or electronic format.Journals Available at Miller Nichols Library:
| Journal Title | Print version in Miller Nichols Library | Electronic version |
|---|---|---|
| American Communication Journal | ||
| Business Communication Quarterly | ||
| Canadian Journal of Communication | ||
| Communication Monographs Continues: Speech Monographs |
Second Floor Periodicals Second Floor Periodicals |
|
| Communication Quarterly Continues: Today's Speech |
Second Floor Periodicals Second Floor Periodicals |
|
| Communication Reports | Second Floor Periodicals 1988-present |
|
| Communication Research | Second Floor Periodicals Ground Floor Microfilm |
|
| Communication Research Reports: CRR | Second Floor Periodicals |
|
| Communication Studies Continues: Central States Speech Journal |
Second Floor Periodicals Second Floor Periodicals |
|
| Communication Theory | Second Floor Periodicals 1999-present |
|
Critical Studies in Media Communication: CSMC Continues: Critical Studies in Mass Communication: CSMC |
Second Floor Periodicals Second Floor Periodicals |
|
| Human Communication Research | Second Floor Periodicals 1987-present Ground Floor Microfiche 1976-1986 |
|
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Journal of Applied Communication Research: JACR | Second Floor Periodicals 1989, 1991-present |
|
| Journal of Business Communication | Ground Floor Microfilm 1973-1985,1988-2002 |
|
| Journal of Communication | Second Floor Periodicals 1951-1977,1979-present |
|
| Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication | ||
| The Quarterly Journal of Speech | Second Floor Periodicals 1928-present |
|
| Women and Language | Second Floor Periodicals 1994-present |
|
| Women's Studies in Communication | Second Floor Periodicals 1989-present |
Reference Sources: Encyclopedias, Handbooks
Reference sources are useful for locating background information, definitions, general descriptions, and basic facts. Use these books to help you select or focus your research topic.
All call numbers in this guide refer to the UMKC Miller Nichols Library, unless otherwise noted. Titles are linked to the corresponding MERLIN Library Catalog record.
Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
|
African
American Experience (Greenwood Press) 18th century - present. Save to del.icio.us Full text. |
|
| Encyclopedia of Communication and Information (3 vols.) | Ref P87.5 .E53 2002 Also in Gale Virtual Reference Library (InfoTrac) Save to del.icio.usFull text. |
| Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications (4 vols.) | Ref P87.5 .E532 2003 |
| The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (14 vols.) | Ref P29 .E48 2006 |
| Encyclopedia of Rhetoric | Ref PN172 .E52 2001 |
| Encyclopedia of Semiotics | Ref P99 .E64 1998 |
| Encyclopedia of Television | http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/index.html |
| History of the Mass Media in the United States: An Encyclopedia | Ref P92 .U5 H54 1998 |
| International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, (4 vols.) | Ref P29 .I58 2003 |
|
Latino-American Experience (Greenwood Press) 1984 - present. Save to del.icio.us Full text 1984 - present. |
Handbooks
| Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication | Ref P94.6.H36 2002 |
| Handbook of Language and Gender | Ref P120.S48H36 2003 |
Web Resources
- American Communication Association
This organization promotes the academic and professional study of communication. This site includes the online scholarly refereed journal American Communication Journal.
(www.americancomm.org/) - American Rhetoric
This website provides full text, audio and streaming video of speeches and addresses from a variety of contexts in American life.
(www.americanrhetoric.com) - Center for Nonverbal Studies
The site for this private, nonprofit research center includes The Nonverbal Dictionary. The dictionary provides definitions, illustrations, anatomical descriptions, cultural meanings, and citations to research for an extensive list of terms related to nonverbal communication.
(members.aol.com/nonverbal2/) - CineMedia
CineMedia is the largest film and media directory on the Internet. The scope of this site extends far beyond film into all areas of media studies. Every type of site can be found here: "scholarly" sites, amateur celebrity pages, studio home-pages, and more.
(cinemedia.org/welcomes/you.html) - The History of Televised Presidential Debates
The Museum of Broadcast Communication created this website from their archival collection. With an emphasis on the first televisted Presidential debate in 1960, the debates through 2000 are covered by videos, photos, articles, memoranda, and "spin".
(www.museum.tv/debateweb/html/) - Kurylo's Communication Links
Part of the Electronic Encyclopedia of Communication, this web site provide numerous links to web sites useful for communications studies research. (www.cios.org/encyclopedia/comlinks/websites.htm) - Human Communication
Laboratory at Columbia University
This site provides information on current research on communicative behavior from a social-psychological perspective.
(www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/commlab/) - MCS
The MCS (pronounced 'mix') site provides links to internet resources related to media and communication. It focuses on the media in the United Kingdom.
(www.aber.ac.uk/media/index.html)
Use search engines linked on the Internet Search Tools page to identify additional Web resources.
For further assistance, please contact the
Miller Nichols Library Reference Desk at (816) 235-1534.
