COM 101: Library Research and Resources

Getting started with library research

Library Research
A basic guide to getting started: choosing your topic; finding books and articles; using the Web; evaluating sources; and citing your sources.

Virtual Tour
An online tour of Mugar Memorial Library.

Finding books in the library

Boston University Libraries Catalog
Use the catalog to determine availability and location of books in the BU libraries.
Example: to find books on ethical issues and the media, use subject headings like these:

Communication -- Moral and Ethical Aspects

Journalistic Ethics

Journalistic Ethics -- United States

Journalism -- Objectivity

Journalism -- Objectivity -- United States

Mass Media -- Moral And Ethical Aspects

Mass Media -- Moral And Ethical Aspects -- United States

Mass Media -- Objectivity

Mass Media -- Objectivity -- United States

Television Broadcasting -- Moral And Ethical Aspects

Television Broadcasting -- Moral And Ethical Aspects -- United States

Television Broadcasting Of News -- Social Aspects -- United States

Finding magazine, journal, and newspaper articles

Electronic Indexes and Databases
Electronic Resources by Subject - Communication
These web pages link to our indexes and databases. Use the following indexes and databases to search for articles on communication topics:

WilsonWeb (you may search these indexes simultaneously; some of the articles are full text):

Readers' Guide Full Text (popular magazines)

Social Sciences Full Text (scholarly journals)

Wilson Business Full Text (business journals and trade magazines)

Communication Abstracts
This index provides citations and abstracts of books and of articles in scholarly communication journals.

LexisNexis Academic
This full-text database contains articles from magazines and newspapers, and transcripts of television and radio broadcasts. It is international in scope, and includes trade magazines covering business and industry.

ABI/INFORM Global (Proquest)
This is an index to business journals, and most of the articles are full text.

Sociological Abstracts
This index provides citations and abstracts of books and articles in scholarly journals, including communication journals.

Locating magazines and journals in the library or online

Boston University Libraries Catalog
Use the catalog to locate journals (by title) in the BU libraries or online.

Electronic Journals
This page links to a pdf file of online journals available in library databases.

Electronic Communication Journals
This is a selective list of online communication journals.

Ask a Librarian for assistance

Librarians will answer your questions at the Reference Desk in Mugar Memorial Library, or by email ask@bu.edu

http://www.bu.edu/library/instruction/com101.html