Choosing your database
Depending upon your topic, you many need to use several databases to research for your literature review. You will have various perspectives related, such as; business, technology, or financial, to note a few. Remember to look for additional sources, other than communication.
You will identify the perspective from your concept map. This is your key resource to structuring your literature review.
Literature Review Definition
A literature review surveys books, scholarly articles, and any other sources relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, and by so doing, provides a description, summary, and critical evaluation of these works in relation to the research problem being investigated. Literature reviews are designed to provide an overview of sources you have explored while researching a particular topic and to demonstrate to your readers how your research fits within a larger field of study.
Fink, Arlene. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper. Fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, 2014.
Communication Research Databases
Here are a few databases to begin your research:
- Communication Source This link opens in a new windowIncludes articles from peer-reviewed journals and trade magazines covering mass media, marketing, communications, and related topics.
- ABI/INFORM CompleteArticles from leading business journals, magazines, trade publications and newspapers including the Wall Street Journal. Available through ProQuest Articles from leading business journals, magazines, trade publications and newspapers including the Wall Street Journal. Available through ProQuest
- ProQuest Research -Multiple DatabaseProQuest Multiple Databases is a multi-disciplinary index. It simultaneously searches dozens of subject areas, indexes thousands of general and scholarly titles. It is an excellent starting place for research for a paper, particularly if one isn't sure where to begin their research.
- ProQuest TelecommunicationsProQuest Telecommunications is a essential resource for anyone researching the industry or its technology. The database includes over 140 titles, with more than 115 available in full text. Whether youre looking for the latest news on WAP technology, following market penetration of new technologies, or gathering information about the key players in this field, ProQuest Telecommunications helps you stay one step ahead.
Engineering & Computer Science
- ProQuest Computer Science Database This link opens in a new windowThis database is a premium resource for those who need access to comprehensive coverage of computer topics.
- Applied Science & Technology Source This link opens in a new windowApplied Science & Technology Source offers extensive coverage of research and development within the applied sciences and computing disciplines.
- AccessEngineering This link opens in a new windowAccessEngineering is an engineering reference tool that provides access to authoritative and regularly updated engineering reference information.
Databases
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowA starting point in looking for definitions or background information on a topic.
- Business Abstracts with Full Text (H.W. Wilson)Business Abstracts with Full Text™ offers a multitude of business magazines and scholarly journals: this comprehensive database contains the full text of articles from more than 510 key publications.
- EBSCO Business Source CompleteThis database provides articles from business journals, magazines and newspapers including the Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly and many others.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowA growing full text collection of core social science, humanities, and science journals and books.
- ERIC (ProQuest)The ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to provide extensive access to education literature to augment American education by increasing and facilitating the use of educational research and information to improve practice in learning, teaching, educational decision-making, and research.
- Web of ScienceWeb of Science (a.k.a. Web of Knowledge): Provides citations covering over 10,000 high-impact journals in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities, as well as international proceedings.
- IEEE XploreA comprehensive database deliving full text access to the world's highest quality technical literature in electrical engineering, computer science and electronics.
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new windowAbstract and citation database of scholarly literature in psychological, social, behavioral, and health sciences. Includes journal articles, books, reports, theses, and dissertations from 1806 to present.
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowAbstract database of sociology and social and behavioral sciences literature from 1952 to present. Includes journal articles, conference papers, books, and dissertations.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowFiltered Google Search finding scholarly journal articles, books, citations, and case law.
search tips
Once you have identified your topic, check to see if it is too specific, if it is, work toward a general focus. This will help you generate a list of keywords, or concepts related to your topic.
Keywords
travel, tourism, e-commerce, "mobile devices", smartphones, United States,vacations, digital travel, etc....
Use AND, OR, NOT to connect your phrases/keywords
to locate both smartphones AND travel
to locate either word U.S. OR United States
to locate (the first word) vacation NOT trip
* truncation symbol
travel* travels, travelers, traveling, traveled
Types of resources
peer-reviewed
scholarly articles
magazines
trade publications
case studies
books
government reports
book chapters
reports