Research Guides: Communication: Background Info

Reference Databases

Encyclopedias and other reference books are an excellent starting point for your research. They can provide background information and help you identify keywords to use when searching for books and articles.

To access databases from off campus, you will be prompted to log in with your Pipeline username and password.

Credo Reference
Contains the full text of encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books.

Contains the full text of over 1,000 encyclopedias, dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, and other reference books covering all major subject areas. Thousands of Topics Pages provide articles from different reference sources, arranged by subject. Includes “gadgets” for finding images, definitions, people, pronunciations, quotations, and measurement conversations, as well as a concept map feature for help identifying keywords and broadening or narrowing a topic. Additional features include videos, maps, and animations.
Gale Ebooks
Full-text encyclopedias and specialized reference books covering all major subject areas.

Contains the full text of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources. Subjects covered include arts, biography, business, education, environment, history, law, literature, medicine, multicultural studies, government and political science, religion, science, and social sciences.

Examples of Communication Articles in Credo

Explore the communication articles listed below or try searching other keywords in Credo Reference:

Communication Accommodation Theory
Provides a definition of Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT), information on aspects of accommodation, and the history of CAT.
Communication Studies Overview
Provides an overview of interpersonal conflict, parameters of interpersonal conflict, and interventions to mitigate the effects of media violence.
Family Communication
Provides an overview of family communication and the dynamics of familial relationships.
Interpersonal Communication
Provides a definition, articles, images, and library resources on interpersonal communication.
Sexual Communication
Provides an overview on sexual communication as well as its effects on health and established relationships.
Social Exchange Theory
Provides an overview of social exchange theory, including core assumptions and contemporary concepts.

Online Reference Sources

Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies by James Watson; Anne Hill
Call Number: eBook

Publication Date: 2015

In this 9th edition, Watson and Hill provide a detailed compendium of the different facets of personal, group, mass-media and internet communication that continues to be a vital source of information for all those interested in how communication affects our lives.
Introduction to Communication Studies by John Fiske
Call Number: eBook

Publication Date: 2010

This classic text provides a lucid, accessible introduction to the main authorities in the field of communication studies, aimed at students coming to the subject for the first time. It outlines a range of methods of analysing examples of communication, and describes the theories underpinning them.