Communication: Undergraduate Research
Basics
Today there's lots of people amplifying their points of view online (lots!). We're seeing evidence of outrage fatigue, information overload, and a general weariness of the noise of it all. For example, how can we talk about the identity of a coal miner (mind map sample below) without bias? Rational evidence-based rhetoric research is today's lesson from Dale the Librarian.
Trends, Ideas, Keywords
(Some of the resources below present multiple points-of-view in a journalist-prepared package; others you get to sift through trends on your own terms)
CQ Researcher -journalists' tool for both sides of issues
Roper iPoll -polls and data for public opinion
Pew Research Center -publicly accessible public survey reports
YouGov (polls search)
NexisUNI -faculty favorite! -news, legal, business, scholarship, etc.
US Newsstream -librarian favorite! -most of the newspapers in the U.S. going back decades (includes local Utah papers)
Google Trends
Scholarly/Academic/Evidence-Based
Sociological Abstracts
Communication & Mass Media Complete
PsycINFO (psychology, but with many applications in social sciences)
Education Full Text & ERIC (education, family development)
Business Source Premier (business)
PAIS (public policy and analysis)
Library Catalog (everything -highly recommended)
Academic Search Ultimate (A big mash of many disciplines)
Advanced -sort by # of times cited
Scopus
Web of Science
Humanities
SCHOLARLY & ACADEMIC SOURCES
Modern Language Association (MLA) International Bibliography
Project MUSE
America: History & Life
Art Full Text
Film & Television Literature Index
Music Database
Library Catalog
JSTOR
Scopus OR Web of Science (search by number of times cited)
Sociological Abstracts
Academic Search Ultimate
PRIMARY SOURCES
Digital Public Library of America (dp.la)
(sample of primary vs. secondary sources)
what is keyword searching?
What's keyword searching? (7m and totally worth it)
Keywords and Search Ideas
some samples of keyword searches to try (note: edit and choose your own!)
"artificial intelligence" OR "machine learning" OR automation
AND
future
AND
humanity OR culture OR community OR society
"mario kart" OR nintendo OR wii OR "nintendo switch"
AND
culture OR community
other sample searches!
beliefs OR values OR identity OR culture OR community OR attitudes
"social media" OR tiktok OR facebook OR instagram
debate OR opinion OR rhetoric OR argument
intervention OR negotiation OR policy OR government
How to cite something missing information
Do you want to cite a website that's missing citation elements? Here's some tips on how to get through that:
How do I cite the stuff!?*
*Petersen, B. (2024, May 23). In the news: Speech and drama. The Bunkhouse. https://secure.smore.com/n/2gwbsc-the-bunkhouse
Interlibrary Loan
How do I get full text for free?
Watch this mercifully short video on
Inter Library Loan
(and as always, e-mail dale.larsen@utah.edu for help)
How to find a print book
A YouTube Short on how to find a print book once you found the "call number" 
Subject Guide
I love to help with your research: from just seeing the assignment, to wrapping up with citation management -drop me a line or come by 2110S on the 2nd floor of the library near the computer lab :-)
OFFICE HOURS
Send me an e-mail -I'd love to hear from you!
Pew Research Chart Sample
Randolph, M. and Shearer, E. (2025, August 28). How the audiences of 30 major news sources differ by age. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/
What's good enough?
How do I know what's good enough? Ask a librarian! The following is a presentation given in class, but may shed light on the question! -dale.larsen@utah.edu. (click on the burrito)
Also: Where can I get help sorting out citations with a program or a citation manager?
see: campusguides.lib.utah.edu/citationmanager
