Communication Studies: Web & Background Info
Background information
Getting Started
If you can speak for one minute without notes on your topic, and answer the "Who, what, when, where and why?" for that topic, then you are ready for deeper research. If not, invest a few minutes in reading an encyclopedia article to learn some basic facts about your topic.
Encyclopedias
- Gale Ebooks (formerly GVRL) This link opens in a new windowGale eBooks has over 200 encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Look here for biology, chemistry, nursing and medicine, sociology, history, education, law, and more.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowProvides online versions of 500 published reference works, including general and specialized dictionaries and encyclopedias. Try the Concept Map to search for terms and topics that are interconnected and displayed in a visual form.
And of course,
- Wikipedia Your instructor probably won't accept Wikipedia as a source, but it is a great place to get ideas at the beginning of your research. Be sure to check the Bibliography, Notes and External Links at the bottom of each entry. They often link to very credible sources which you can use.
Policy & research institutes
Policy and research institutes conduct and publish credible research, often including polls, and advocacy on social, political, cultural or economic issues. While most policy and research institutes are non-profit organizations, some have a political or ideological slant.
- Brookings InstituteThe Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC.
- Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceTheir mission is to advance the cause of peace through analysis and development of fresh policy ideas and direct engagement and collaboration with decision makers in government, business, and civil society.
- Cato InstituteThe Cato Institute is a public policy research organization dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peace.
- Center for American ProgessThe Center for American Progress is an independent, progressive, nonpartisan policy institute dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans.
- Council on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher.
- Gallup PollCurrent polls and research on a wide variety of topics. They often track polling responses over time, so you can see shifts in public opinion.
- Heritage FoundationThe Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institution—a think tank—whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies.
- Kaiser Family FoundationKaiser is a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, as well as the U.S. role in global health policy.
- Pew Research CenterPew Research Center is an independent center that conducts polls and studies.
ChatGPT for background research
As you explore possible topics to research, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can help provide background information and suggest search terms for further research. Like Wikipedia, ChatGPT and similar tools can give a general overview or introduction to a topic. For example, if you are wondering about strategies to combat stress, or how to prevent forest fires in an age of climate change, ChatGPT can provide a list of options that might include some important concepts and terms to research in authoritative sources.
Important! AI tools may not include the most current events, and sometimes provides inaccurate statements and false citations. These tools can be useful for getting an overview of a topic, generating ideas, and clarifying complex information, but are not a substitute for researching a topic. Presenting AI generated answers as your own work is usually considered plagiarism. Learn more from this U.C. San Diego guide about generative AI and academic integrity.
Using content or quotes from a chatbox requires attribution and citation, like any other source. See
Google search tips
Add site:edu or site:gov to limit your search to .edu or .gov sites
Limiting your search to the areas of the web where the information is most reliable, such as education sites or government sites is a good way to find credible sources.
For example, a search for nutritional supplements, will bring up many commercial (.com) sites trying to sell you vitamins. If you search for nutritional supplements site:gov , the top results (except for the sponsored ads) will be sites such as the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, which are authoritative, unbiased sources that are not trying to sell you anything.
If you search for nutritional supplements site:edu, your top results will be from universities providing research on nutritional supplements.
Use a minus sign to exclude words.
For example, if you are looking for weather information in Portland, Maine you could add -oregon to your search to exclude web sites with the word "oregon."
Or to exclude commercial web sites, add -site:com to your search. For example, nutritional supplements -site:com
- "How To Google Like A Pro! Top 10 Google Search Tips & Tricks 2020"Video tutorial (5:40 minutes)
Evaluating Sources to Find Quality Research
This video will provide you with three questions to ask of any source to make sure it is a good fit for your research assignment.
- Evaluating Sources HandoutThis handout will help you ask questions about your sources to determine whether they are of sufficient quality for your assignment.