Journalism
From Simmons Library Research Guides
We have selected these resources to help you find relevant information on your research topic. Please contact a librarian for help using the resources listed in this guide or for help with your research process.
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Reference and Background Information
You may also consult the resources below for overviews of the topic that you have chosen to research. Use these resources to help you to put your topic in context and give you the big picture of what information exists about your topic. These resources may have bibliographies at the end of each entry that can help further your research.
Use the Simmons Eresource called [http://0-refuniv.odyssi.com.library.simmons.edu/ Reference Universe] to search for information about your topic in all of our Reference sources.
or, search for Reference sources that contain information about your specific research topic here:
- Journalism: A Guide to the Reference Literature
Level 1 Reference PN4731 .C38 2004
A listing of reference books (bibliographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.) about journalism. Each entry is described and evaluated to explain when and why to use each of the sources.
- CQ Electronic Library
Simmons Eresource
An online collection of publications from Congressional Quarterly that can be searched and used individually or across the collection.
- CQ Weekly
Simmons Eresource
Provides weekly coverage of the U.S. Congress, including status of bills, votes and amendments; floor and committee activity; and backroom maneuvering.
- CQ Researcher
Simmons Eresource
CQ Researcher publishes weekly reports on issues in the news, and provides thorough and up-to-date coverage on various topics such as social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Each 12,000-word report includes an overview, chronology, pro/con statements, a bibliography, and more.
- CQ Global Researcher
Simmons Eresource
Provides international perspectives on the most vital world issues with original, single-topic reports.
- First Amendment Handbook
Free Online
This handbook gives legal assistance to reporters and is the "basic primer on the laws affecting reporters' rights to gather and disseminate news."
- First Amendment Library
Free Online
This web site provides research information on topics that have to do with the First Amendment of the Constitution (freedom of speech, press, religious liberty, assembly and petition). Analysis is provided by legal specialists, and it also includes columnist articles, lesson plans, Supreme Court Cases, and a time line of the First Amendment.
- Poynter Online
Free Online
This site provides information for journalists on topics like ethics and diversity. It also includes a career center for job hunting tips.
- State of the News Media
Free Online
An annual report on American journalism produced by the Project for Excellence of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. This report profiles major journalism sectors such as newspapers, local television, radio, and ethnic media, and aggregates data regarding many of the pressing issues facing the news media. It covers issues such as station ownership, shrinking audiences, journalistic standards, the impact of new media technologies, and emerging trends.
Media Publishing
- Directory of Small Press & Magazine Editors & Publishers
Level 1 Reference PN4820 .D57 2007-08
This directory includes contact information for editors and publishers of small presses and magazines.
- Editor & Publisher Market Guide
Level 1 Reference HF5905 .E38
This resource includes national statistics from newspapers and the Census data from 2000. It provides data on ethnic breakdowns, banking, population/age estimates, housing and income date, as well as retail sales amounts. Canada's 2001 Census data is also featured in this resource.
- Editor & Publisher International Year Book
Level 1 Reference PN4700 .E42 2007
This three volume directory provides information on the newspaper industry throughout the world.
- Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media
Level 1 Reference AP1 .G34 2007
This five volume set is a guide to publications and broadcast stations, including newspapers, magazines, journals, radio stations, and cable systems. Organized by place, and within place by type of media and name, each entry includes contact information and information about format, key personnel, ad rates, and more as relevant to each type of media.
- New England Media Directory
Level 1 Reference P92.U5 N48
This directory is the most complete listing of media in New England. It includes listings for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, television stations and radio stations. The list of contacts is especially comprehensive in coverage; as it gives names, phone numbers and email addresses for the different reporters.
Finding Articles
Below are suggested databases and indexes for articles on the topic that you have chosen to research. These databases include articles from newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Articles are shorter and more narrowly focused than books or reference materials so you should use them after you have narrowed your topic.
About Journalism
- Communication and Mass Media Complete
Simmons Eresource
This database is the combination of CommSearch and Mass Media Articles Index. It provides the full text of over 200 communication related journals, as well as articles from reviews, encyclopedias, and handbooks. Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search! - Academic Search Complete
Simmons Eresource
Academic Search Complete is a great place to start your search for both popular and scholarly articles, no matter what your topic is! It contains journals from almost every topic and is designed specifically for academic institutions. It provides more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, 4,400 of which are peer-reviewed journals. This resource also features content as far back as 1865.
- Academic Onefile
Simmons Eresource
Academic Onefile contains 8,000 academic journals, the majority in full-text, available in HTML and PDF formats. In addition it contains hundreds of podcasts and transcripts from NPR, CNN, and the CBC.
- Expanded Academic ASAP
Simmons Eresource
From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images. Updated daily.
TIP: Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search!
News Articles
- Ethnic Newswatch
Simmons Eresource
A comprehensive collection of newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic, minority, and native press in America - now with expanded international coverage. Includes 932,000 articles (over 203,000 of them in Spanish) from 275 publications with titles in both English and Spanish. Approximately 7,500 new articles are added each month. Updated monthly.
- Google News Archive
Free Online
Google News Archive Search "provides an easy way to search and explore historical archives. In addition to helping you search, News archive search can automatically create timelines which show selected results from relevant time periods." It does not always provide free fulltext, so check with a librarian for help accessing fulltext when necessary.
- Lexis Nexis Academic
Simmons Eresource
Provides searchable access to a comprehensive spectrum of full-text information from over 5,600 sources--including non-English language sources--selected to meet academic research needs. Included are national and regional newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts, international news, U.S. Federal and state case law, codes, regulations, legal news, law reviews, and international legal information, Shepard's Citations for all U.S. Supreme Court cases back to 1789, business news journals, company financial information, SEC filings and reports, industry and market news, statistics, and medical information.
- Massachusetts Newsstand Collection
Simmons Eresource
Full-text coverage of major Massachusetts newspapers:
* Boston Globe: 1980-current * Boston Herald: 1991-current * BusinessWest: Coverage varies * Gazette (Haverhill, MA) * North Adams Transcript: Coverage varies * Plymouth County Business Review * Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, MA): Coverage varies * Standard Times: Coverage varies * Telegram & Gazette Daily newspaper from Worcester, Massachusetts: 1989-current * The Berkshire Eagle Coverage: varies The Patriot Ledger (Quincy,MA): 1991-current * The Sun (Lowell, MA): Coverage varies
Transcripts
- CNN Transcripts
Free Online
The transcripts for the past week of CNN broadcasts are listed here by date and by show.
- Federal News Service
Free Online
The Federal News Service provides immediate verbatim transcripts of government briefings, speeches, press conferences, Congressional hearings, National Press Club speeches, and significant events such as conferences at Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment and broadcast interviews with opinion leaders. Some transcripts require a subscription, which Simmons does not have. If you need access to a subscription transcript, it would be better to search Lexis Nexis Academic or contact a librarian.
- Frontline
Free Online
PBS provides transcripts and supporting materials for topics covered by the news magazine program Frontline.
- PBS NewsHour In-Depth
Free Online
PBS provides complete transcripts of select topics like Dafur, Iraq, and more, in the In-Depth areas of the NewsHour site.
- NPR Transcripts: Mideast Coverage
Free Online
NPR provides the transcripts and audio of reports about the Mideast produced by NPR in its newsmagazines and talk shows.
Searching the Web
Simmons librarians have created a customized search engine that allows you to find Journalism information on the free web. Use this Journalism Google Custom Search Engine box to search all select, quality free web sites at the same time:
You might also consider going directly to, or bookmarking, the Journalism Google Custom Search Engine
Tips for Searching the Internet:
- Use the advanced search function, which is available from most search engines:
- Google - See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Ask - Click "Advanced." See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Live (MSN) - See also "Options"
- Exalead - See also "Exalead FAQ"
- Yahoo! Search
- Limit your search to .edu and .gov sites. These often provide quality research, statistics, and commentary. Sites ending in .org often have good information, too, but are likely to espouse a strong stance or bias on the issues they cover and may not be objective.
- Try Scandoo, which presents search results from Google, Yahoo! Search, or Live (MSN) with an evaluation about the objectivity, credibility, and overall reliability of the site.
- Consider using a directory of pre-screened, annotated sites:
Writing Style and Citation
- For more information on style and citation for this discipline, please contact the Simmons College Writing Center
You may also consider consulting these resources:
- Writing Resources
Free Online
The Writing Center provides online resources for citing your research. If you are unsure of which citation style to use, consult your professor and consider the following:- Use APA (American Psychological Association) when your topic is in the Social Sciences
- Use ASA (American Sociological Association) when your topic is in Sociology
- Use MLA (Modern Language Association) when your topic is in the Humanities
- Use Chicago/Turabian when your topic is in Literature, History or the Arts
- Use CSE (Council of Science Editors) when your topic is in the Sciences
- RefWorks
Simmons Eresource
RefWorks is a great program for organizing articles, books, and other materials you need for research. You can also use RefWorks to create bibliographies, create in text citations in your paper (Write-N-Cite), and share your research with others. Access RefWorks from the A-Z list of resources on the library's web page, and then follow the instructions to create your own username and password. We hold RefWorks Clinics throughout the semester. For more information, ask a reference librarian
- Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law
Level 1 Reference PN4783 .A83 2004
The motto of the Associated Press Stylebook remains the same as the first 1953 edition, "To provide a uniform presentation of the printed word, to make a story written anywhere understandable everywhere." Contents within this source include the stylebook, guidelines to sports, business, and punctuation, briefing on media law, and proofreaders' marks.
- Elements of News Writing
Level 1 Reference PN4775 .K37 2005
This concise and straightforward source provides a complete introduction to the basics of news writing and guidance on writing a news story. Contents include news writing basics, grammar and usage, writing news stories, covering beats, specialized writing, editing newspapers, and other advance topics within the field of journalism.
- Garner's Modern American Usage
Level 1 Reference PE2827 .G37 2003
This usage dictionary is intended to help writers, editors, and speakers use language correctly, coherently, naturally, and effectively. It is organized like a dictionary and provides examples to help the user further understand how to use language correctly.
- Times Online Style Guide
Free Online
This online styleguide aims to provide easy answers for readers, to everyday questions about English grammar, spelling and names of people and organizations. Users may search this source by clicking on the first letter of a word.
- UPI Stylebook and Guide to Newswriting
Level 1 Reference PN4783 .M47 2004
This guide and stylebook is designed to help United Press International reporters, analysts, and editors to write clearly with uniform use of spelling, abbreviations, punctuation, and syntax.
