InfoGuides: MCOM 3327 (Osei-Hwere): Media Communication Law: Databases

Why Search a Database?

EBSCO Search is very useful, but you may want to go directly to an individual database. For example, each database may use different subject headings for the same topics. You may also want to search a non-EBSCO database.

Some databases to consider:

Communication Source
CQ Researcher
HeinOnline
Legal Collection
Nexis Uni
Newspaper Source
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global
Westlaw Next
WorldCat

Google Scholar

Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Google scholar is a specialized Google service that searches the web for journal articles, books, and other material that MAY be scholarly. Use the special link above for authenticated access to full text articles when off campus.
Format: , Coverage: Varies, mostly mid 1990s - present, Truncation and Wildcard: None and None, Search Tips: To search specifically for an author, use the format author:"j smith" or author:smith. The "Advanced Search Page" allows greater specificity. Words can be searched as exact phrase, without a specific word, in specific publications, with specified authors, and within a specified time frame. Google Scholar will also search within subject areas. Using a + in front of a common word (such as the, and, or) makes sure the term is included in the results. Using a - in front of a term excludes items containing the word.

Google Scholar:

is not a database
not always scholarly resources
can point you to scholarly databases in the Cornette Library
wonderful search engine for a hard-to-research topic

Be sure to go to Google Scholar via the Databases A-Z button on the Cornette Library homepage:

Important: By using this link you will be able to click on any Full Text items that are available by database subscription via the Cornette Library.

Communication Source

Communication Source This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Communiation Source is the most comprehensive research database in the fields of communication.
Coverage: Varies, mostly mid-1990s forward, Truncation and Wildcard: * and ?, Search Tips: Use quotation marks to phrase search. Allows Boolean AND, OR and NOT searching. May limit to full-text.

Strategy

Example Search:

You may start out with a broad search, such as:

"mass media" and ethics

Limiting by Date

You may narrow the results by publication date.

Limiting by Date

You may narrow the results by language as well.

Limit by Subject

Be sure to click on "Show More" for a list of possible subjects.

Next check all the subjects that interest you and click Update.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Provides full text for over 1.7 million dissertations and masters theses from U.S. and international academic institutions and abstracting and indexing for 3.8 million.
Format: Frequently full-text, Coverage: Citations since 1637. Some full-text from 1743. Truncation and Wildcard: ? and *, Search Tips: May combine searches in a single research session.

You would never cite a dissertation or thesis in your research. But you could look at them for recent topic ideas. Also useful would be the resources listed in a bibliography.

You could start with a general search such as:

"mass media" and ethics

WorldCat

WorldCat (FirstSearch) This link opens in a new window
Has over 246 million bibliographic records of books, websites and Internet resources, computer programs, films and slides, journals, magazines, manuscripts, maps, musical scores, newspapers, sound recordings, and videotapes.
Format: Citations, Coverage: Before 1000 B.C.E. to present, Truncation and Wildcard: * and # or ?, Search Tips: After searching, use 'Related Subjects' for additional subject search terms. Omit punctuation (apostrophes, commas, etc.), but may use ampersands and hyphens. Enter a space instead of a slash. Search names as Lastname Firstname Middlename without commas. '?Help' link is on each screen.

You can search the database WorldCat as a way of researching for books in the online catalogs of local and U.S. libraries. Read the results for more ideas on fairly recent topics or try to borrow books that the Cornette Library does not own.

You can limit the search by publication date, language, and whether it is not Fiction.

If the book is in the Cornette Library, the results list will display West Texas A&M University, Cornette Libr

The results list also has a link to Libraries Worldwide. If you click on that link, you can see if a local library owns the book. If you have a local library card or TexShare card, the library may allow you to check out the book in person. Ask a librarian for more information.

Books not available at the Cornette Library will have a link to Request via Interlibrary Loan. It may take three weeks to receive a book via ILL and you may only have one to two weeks to use the book.