Identifying Primary Vs. Secondary Research Articles
Finding, citing, and downloading your article
Use Communication & Mass Media Complete database to conduct your search.
My example focuses on privacy management theory. Communcation Privacy Management theory explains how people make choices about their private information through communication with others (Petronio, 2002, 2007, 2013). Source: Indiana University Communication Privacy Management Center: https://cpmcenter.iupui.edu/learn/theory
1. Use your own theory as keywords; seek a large number of results.
2. Use Peer Reviewed limiter.
3. Locate a Method section within your article selection.
4. Consider searching important journals in communication research, listed below.
Note: If your article is not available in Full Text, use the Find It button to see if it's available in another database. If not, consider requesting the article through Interlibrary Loan if you are fairly confident that the article is an original research study that will contain a Method section.
Important journals in communication research
Journal of Applied Communication Research
Journal of International and Intercultural Communication
Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies
Critical Studies in Media Communication
Communication Monographs
Communication Education
Communication Teacher
Quarterly Journal of Speech
Review of Communication
Text and Performance Quarterly
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
Journal of Communication
Communication Theory
Human Communication Research
Communication, Culture, & Critique
Journalism & Communication Monographs
Journalism & Mass Communication Educator
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
In the database, select Publications. Paste the journal title into the Publications Browse box, not the article search box.
When you find the journal, checkmark the Add box. Add as many journals in this way as you would like. When you are ready to search, select the Search button and type your theory in the second search box.
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