Library Tips for Researching Communication Topics

I. Get to the Library Homepage on the World Wide Web

II. There are three online search services that will be most applicable to your efforts: ProQuest, First Search, and Com Abstracts.

PROQUEST
1. Select Proquest from the top of the library's homepage. This will bring you to a search page. Type your topic in the blank box, and check to see if the location is accurate (citation and abstract, author, publication title, etc.).
2. This should bring you a list of "hits," which you can peruse. If the item looks promising, click on the underlined title, and either a description will appear or the full text.
3. If the item does not provide the full text, check to see if Connelly Library carried that item. Journals are on the ground floor (downstairs) and arranged alphabetically. Books are arranged by call numbers--look up the item on the Connelly Library Online Catalog (accessible from the library's home page). You will have to get the call number of the item, then go to that location in the library. If the library does not have the item, you may want to use interlibrary loan. Info about that will follow at the end of the document.
4. If you get too many "hits" or are using a common term (e.g. "Smith") you may need to do an advanced search, which is also simple. When you first enter the database use Boolean logic. For example, type "deception" as a keyword, then "AND" "marriage" as a keyword. You can also search by author this way, or date, etc.
5. Proquest has a limted range. For more advanced research, you may need to use First Search or Com Abstracts.

FIRST SEARCH
1. Select FirstSearch from the top of the library's homepage. This will bring you to a "Welcome." Type in your topic in the "search for" box, and select either PsycINFO or PsycARTICLES in the "in" box. (other databases that might work are SocSciAbs and SocioAbs, but PsychInfo is usually the best. PsycARTICLES is full-text, but doesn't include as many articles).
2. This should bring you a list of "hits," which you can peruse. If the item looks promising, click on the underlined title, and a fuller description will be provided. If the item continues to look promising, look for the actual item in the library. Journals are on the ground floor (downstairs) and arranged alphabetically. Books are arranged by call numbers--look up the item on the Connelly Library Online Catalog (accessible from the library's home page). You will have to get the call number of the item, then go to that location in the library. If the library does not have the item, you may want to use interlibrary loan. Info about that will follow at the end of the document.
3. If you get too many "hits" or are using a common term (e.g. "Smith") you may need to do an advanced search, which is also simple. Click "advanced search" when you first enter the database. Then you can choose, for example "deception" as a keyword, then "AND" "marriage" as a keyword. You can also search by author this way, or date, etc.

ComAbstracts
1. From the library homepage, click on Research. Then "Periodical Indexes and Databases." From the long list, select "ComAbstracts." This will bring you to a welcome page. Select "Search ComAbstracts database."
2. Make sure you have "all titles" selected. Then, search for your topic by the "by word or phrase" option.
3. Again, you can get more information about your "hits" by clicking on the underlined section. If the reference continues to look helpful, seek it in the library or through interlibrary loan.

III. Interlibrary Loan
There are two ways to do this:
a. On paper. Go to the "Information" desk at the library, and ask for an interlibrary loan form (they will ask if it is for a book or journal--if you are not sure, show the librarian the reference and they will tell you). Simply fill out the form.
b. Electronically. There are two ways to do interlibrary loan electronically. First, (and the usual way to do so) is to do so through the Connelly Library Online Catalog. If you have determined that our library does not have the item, simply go back to the "main menu" of the online catalog, select "library services" then "borrow from another library" and fill out a request. Second, you can also make interlibrary loan requests through the First Search system. On the first page of any of the databases is a table, and one of the highlighted items should be "interlibrary loan," which will give you instructions for how to request an item.

IV. On-line articles
Yes, some scholarly articles are on-line. If it is on-line, when you use La Salle's
Online Catalog the page that demonstrates that we have the journal will also
indicate that the journal is on-line. Just select the appropriate hits.