You have been asked to write or present about a research topic, but how do you come up with a topic? Here is a process to help.
Now that you have a few broad topics, you need to select one that is appropriate for the assignment, has enough information available, and will hold your interest. For each of the topics you have generated, search a few keywords in Google, Library Search, and Google Scholar.
For help using Google, Library Search, and Google Scholar, check out these guides:
Encyclopedias are a great way to get broad overviews of a topic, find sources, and narrow your research focus. Here are a few to get you started.
Concise Encyclopedia of Communication
by
This concise volume presents key concepts and entries from the twelve-volume ICA International Encyclopedia of Communication (2008), condensing leading scholarship into a practical and valuable single volume. Based on the definitive twelve-volume IEC, this new concise edition presents key concepts and the most relevant headwords of communication science in an A-Z format in an up-to-date manner Jointly published with the International Communication Association (ICA), the leading academic association of the discipline in the world Represents the best and most up-to-date international research in this dynamic and interdisciplinary field Contributions come from hundreds of authors who represent excellence in their respective fields An affordable volume available in print or online
Encyclopaedia of Mass Media
In modern times, Mass Media is one of the most vital sectors in any society or economy. Mass media can be used for various purposes, like `advocacy1 for both business and social concerns. Enrichment and education - traditionally through performances like acting, music, and sports along with reading and Public Service announcements. Another aspect of Mass Media is mainstream media, which implies ability to transmit tacit knowledge,with a bias - political or otherwise, - towards favouring a certain individual outcome or resolution of an event. This view of central media can be contrasted with lateral media, such as e-mail networks, where messages are all slightly different and spread by a process of lateral diffusion. Mass media has become an integral part of our lives and cannot be separated from our routine. Particularly for the urban people, the need for information is more important than ever. Our values and way of life, in this information era, are strongly influenced by mass media organs, like newspapers, TV, radio, video and internet.
More than 14,000 pro/con viewpoint essays, 5,000+ topic overviews, 300+ primary source documents, 300+ biographies of social activists and reformers, more than 775 court-case overviews, 5 million periodical articles, nearly 6,000 statistical tables, charts and graphs, nearly 70,000 images and a link to Google Image Search, thousands of podcasts, including weekly presidential addresses, premier NPR programs and more.
Full-text online from over 400 encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other reference books. Search a topic, build a concept map, or browse information sources organized by subject. Find text, images, sound files, sortable data tables and more.
Search over 600,000 biographies on more than 500,000 people by name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender as well as keyword and full-text. Also includes full-text articles from more than 300 magazines and newspapers.