JRN 315 - Advanced Media Writing

For this class you should use the widest possible array of resources. Statistics, polling data, original research are always appropriate. Magazine and newspaper articles are not considered primary research or scholarly sources. Using a healthy balance of many kinds of sources will enhance your article. Look for multiple perspectives or angles as you consider what to select.

Understanding Databases

Proprietary databases to which Taylor University subscribes have distinctive differences from search engines such as Google or Google Scholar. A database, generally, is a collection of information organized to provide efficient retrieval of subject matter, specifically scholarly subject matter. They tend to be narrower in scope than Google or Google Scholar. 

Prominent features of proprietary databases generally:

• Cover specific discipline area/s.

• Include academic (peer-reviewed) articles from journals or magazines, electronic books, newspapers, images and research related resources.

• Provide citation information or full text to what may be included in the text of the article (a works cited or bibliography.)

• Are subscriptions for which Zondervan pays. Whereas Google is free some databases are thousands of dollars per year.

Zondervan Library subscribes to over 75 research databases that contain journal, magazine, and newspaper articles on both general and specific disciplines. There are pros and cons for each option. Awareness of the content, organization, precision of search capabilities can save you time and yield the most appropriate and relevant results.

For more information see What is a library database? (Western Oregon University) 

Here is a list of selected databases that cover topics related to communication studies. There are many other databases accessible through Zondervan Library that are not mentioned in this list but may be found on the main ZL page.

Call numbers will indicate where an item is in the Library based on its collection. 

Reference Collection

• Reference materials are typically those you use for a short section, such as Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and sometimes Handbooks. These items must be used in the Library building and cannot be checked out. The Reference Collection is located on the Library's Main level, to the right as you walk in. Look for the brown "Reference" sign. 

 Main Collection

• Items in the Main Collection are materials that you can check out.  This Collection is located on the Upper level of the Library.

Other Collections

• You may note that DVDs, CDs, CS Lewis and Friends materials and curriculum have separate numbers. The locations of these items may be found on the Zondervan Library map located on the ZL main page.

Search Print Books - WorldCat

Offers what is physically housed in the Library (books, media, etc.) along with ZL many resources (eBooks, articles, reports, etc.), even allowing discovery beyond Taylor's resources to tens of millions of records, many of which you can borrow through Interlibrary Loan.
By executing your search you will find books, articles and more. You may wish to narrow your search by facets on the left side of the screen based on language, date, format, etc.
Note: at the present time you will need to do second search to locate e-books. There are two primary vendors of e-books: EBSCO and e-brary. Be sure to search both of those sources as well.

Find E-Books

The Library has more eBooks than print books on our shelves. This marks a big change in library collections and how people read books. Search the two collections of eBooks (Ebrary and EBSCO Ebooks) to discover the wide variety of books available online.