Guides: COM 301 Introduction to Rhetorical Research: Finding Research Tools & Resources

Finding Background Information

Encyclopedia of Communication Theory This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive overview of contemporary communication theory.
International Encyclopedia of Communication Online This link opens in a new window
Coverage of theories, media and communication phenomena, research methods, problems, concepts, and geographical areas.
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Access to encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Features news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis®—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. For help on how to use Nexis Uni, visit the research guide.This database is only available to current Pepperdine students, faculty, and staff.

Finding Statistical Information

Statista This link opens in a new window
Statistics and studies gathered by market researchers, trade organizations, scientific publications, and government sources, includes access to the Global Consumer Survey .
United States Census Bureau Data This link opens in a new window
Leading source of up-to-date demographic data about the United States people and economy.

Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. They conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. They do not take policy positions.

Finding Research Methodology Tools

Sage Research Methods This link opens in a new window
Practical tool for access to books, journals, videos and reference material for help understanding and choosing methods, designing research projects and writing up findings.

PsycTests
Descriptive summaries, articles and citations on the development and assessment of psychological tests, scales, instruments and measures used in psychology research and teaching.

ICPSR Direct This link opens in a new window
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research collection of social science data. First time users will be asked to create an ICPSR MyData account.

Communication Research Measures III by Elizabeth E. Graham (Editor); Joseph P. Mazer (Editor)
Call Number: * Available as E-Book
Publication Date: 2019-09-20
Assessment of new measures in mass, interpersonal, instructional, group, organizational, family, health, and intercultural communication, including social media and new communication technologies, sports communication, and public relations.
Media and Communication Research Methods by Anders Hansen; Simon Cottle; David Machin
Call Number: P91.3 .H364 2013
Introduction to qualitative and quantitative methods for studying media and communication and guidance on how to design, plan and carry out successful research projects in media and communication.
The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Research Methods by Luke Sloan (Editor); Anabel Quan-Haase (Editor)
Call Number: * Available as E-Book
ISBN: 9781473916326
Publication Date: 2017-02-27
A step-by-step guide to overcoming the challenges inherent in research projects that deal with 'big and broad data," from the formulation of research questions through to the interpretation of findings.
Communication Research Statistics by John C. Reinard
Call Number: * Available as E-Book
Guides students through the statistics actually used in most empirical research in communication and the social sciences, including details on statistical analysis of data with a full set of data analysis instructions based on SPSS 12 and Excel.
A Handbook of Media and Communication Research by Klaus Bruhn Jensen (Editor)
Call Number: P91.3 .H35 2012 * Also available as E-Book
Presents qualitative as well as quantitative approaches to the study of media and communication and a set of guidelines for how to think about, plan, and carry out media and communication studies in different social and cultural contexts.