COM 3043 - Communication Research Methods: Literature Reviews

These books are currently on order for the SBU University Libraries, so they are unavailable for checkout.  Please request them through MOBIUS.  Requests typically take 3-5 days to receive.

SBU University Libraries may be able to acquire a dissertation from another library in the U.S. on your behalf.  Many times scholars will publish a piece of their dissertation as an abbreviated article in a journal.  Dissertations typically consist of firsthand research accounts, and can be a great addition to a literature review.

Literature reviews require a great deal of time and effort, but they increase your credibility among peers in the field when it comes to their review of your research proposal and the study(ies) that ensue as a result.  Essentially, literature reviews examine contributions to an area of study, providing a backdrop for the present research that exists on a topic.  Here are some things to keep in mind when doing a literature review...

• Look for examples of literature reviews in your field.
• The best place to get started when you're doing a literature review for communication studies is a library subscription database.
• In summarizing your primary focus for the proposal/study, what are 3-5 keywords you might choose?  Use these as keywords when doing your search for articles.
• Limit your database searches to peer-reviewed articles, which typically involve original research.
• Consult the bibliography, or list of works cited at the end of each article you read.  This will help you find additional research related to your proposal/study.
• Contact your instructor for specific assignment questions. 
• Contact your Personal Librarian--Shellie Austin--for anything else related to your research.