Journalism

The following is meant to be used as support material related to a library instruction session conducted by a library instructor and a English Department course instructor.

Finding articles | Other media-related links | Citing Info

Finding articles

The Bunker Hill Community College Library provides access to thousands of journal articles online. These articles are accessed through subscription databases on the Library Website

To Navigate from the BHCC library homepage, click on the ARTICLES ONLINE tab on the front page. At the next page you can click on any of the listed databases.

You can access these databases online from work. When you do, you will be required to provide the 14 digit barcord number from the back of your student ID, and your Last name as it appears on the front.

As you choose your topic and begin your research, you should keep in mind that merely finding the necessary information doesn't mean that your job is finished. Consider the source of your information. What was it? What do you know about your information source? How easy is it to locate information on the Web about the producers of an individual web site? When you find source information about a particular web site, does this information enhance or detract from the credibility of the entire site? These are questions that every researcher on the Web needs to focus on as part of the research process.

EBSCO

What is it?

EbscoHost offers immediate access to a variety of full-text databases which cover over 1,500 journals in searchable full text, abstracts and indexing for nearly 3,800 journals,

What do I do to begin?

Start by placing a checkmark next to the database(s) that appear to be the most relevant to your search. The default is set to search only the MasterFile Premier index since it provides full text for over 1,800 periodicals and citations for over 3,000 magazines and journals covering nearly all subjects including general reference, business, health and much more. After selecting a database, click the ENTER button. You will then move to the main search screen. Click in the rectangular entry box, type a keyword, and click the SUBMIT button to begin your search.

LEXIS/NEXIS

What is it?

Lexis/Nexis is an extensive online source of legal and business information that contains numerous databases of information dealing with a wide variety of legal information.

What do I do to begin?

Click on the icon for the type of research you would like to do, for example, business, news, legal or medical research. You will be taken to a list of topics, for example, if you chose NEWS, you could choose to search general news, today's news, US news, etc. Click on one of these subtopics and you will be taken to a box in which you can type your search terms. Type a question or keywords that have to do with your topic, then click search.

INFOTRAC WEB

What is it?

Infotrac Web is a gateway, which provides access to sixteen full-text databases on subjects ranging from literature and literary criticism to business and technology research.

What do I do to begin?

Select one of the sixteen databases available and click on the start searching link for that database. Click in the rectangular entry box, enter your search term(s) and click on the Search button to begin your search.

Other media-related links

There are other links on the Web which are of special interest to journalists or those who are seeking information about the media. Here are a few:

http://www.ajr.org - the website of the American Journalism Review, the most important trade journal in the field.

http://www.cjr.org - the website of the Columbia Journalism Review, the first trade journal in the field and still an important critical source.

http://www.stats.org - this site is devoted to the dissemination and proper use of credible statistical information, a key resource for researchers.

Citing Information

What do you remember in terms of citing information using the MLA format? If you find a magazine or newspaper article you can use MLA is what you'll need.

A good software solution that automates the citation process is NoodleBib, found on NoodleTools | link on the Articles Online page. It takes care of all the hard work, and reduces errors.

Reference Works

As part of your assignment you need to use the library's reference sources. A good online option is xRefer. XRefer is a database of atlases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference sources online.

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Last Updated January 29,2007
Last Reviewed November 11, 2002