Communication Studies - General Information Sources

Handbooks

Handbooks contain chapters that summarize literature pertaining to subtopics most relevant to that discipline. They're a good starting place for understanding the various facets of a field and for finding key references. Below are some communication handbooks. Use the indexes in the books to locate information on your specific topic.

  • Dartnell Public Relations Handbook
  • Handbook of Communication and Aging Research
  • Handbook of Communication and Social Interaction Skills
  • Handbook of Communication Science
  • Handbook of Family Communication
  • Handbook of Group Research and Practice
  • Handbook of Health Communication 
  • Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication
  • Handbook of Interpersonal Communication
  • Handbook of Language and Social Interaction 
  • Handbook of New Media
  • Handbook of Organizational Communication: An Interdisciplinary Perspective
  • Handbook of Organizational Culture and Climate
  • Handbook of Political Communication Research 
  • Handbook of Social Psychology
  • Handbook of Visual Communication
  • New Directions in Political Communication: A Resource Book
  • New Handbook of Organizational Communication
  • The Persuasion Handbook: Developments in Theory and Practice
  • SAGE Handbook of Conflict Communication: Integrating Theory, Research, and Practice

Textbooks

Selected publisher web sites listing communication textbooks:

Sage This is a link to another web site

In particular, see the Communication and Media Series This is a link to another web site
You can also search for "communication" or browse by discipline from the Sage This is a link to another web site home page.

Wadsworth This is a link to another web site

see the Communication Cafe This is a link to another web site

Wiley-Blackwell This is a link to another web site

see Communication and Media Studies This is a link to another web site, which includes textbooks and other materials

Lawrence Erlbaum This is a link to another web site

see Communication (includes textbooks and other books)

McGraw-Hill Higher Education This is a link to another web site

see Communications This is a link to another web site

Encyclopedias

Articles in encyclopedias provide very broad explanations of topics and refer readers to articles that are most relevant for that topic. Encyclopedia articles are useful in helping to understand a new area or finding key words for subject searching.

International Encyclopedia of Communication This is a link to another web site, 2008
A comprehensive source for expert descriptions and analyis of a wide range of communication topics. Access restricted to Kent State University. This is a link to another web site

Columbia Encyclopedia This is a link to another web site
The well-known and authoritative Columbia Encyclopedia is now in its sixth edition. It contains nearly 51,000 entries on a vast range of topics and more than 80,000 hypertext cross-references.

The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science This is a link to another web site, 2001 (3rd edition)

Electronic book available online to subscribing libraries.

These print encyclopedias are available in many libraries:

  • Encyclopedia of Human Behavior, 1994
  • Encyclopedia of Communication and Information, 2001
    According to the publisher, this set is, "designed to provide a comprehensive overview of universal modes of communication, the media used to communicate, theories of communication and their implications, careers in communications and information, and biographies of notable figures in the field."
  • Encyclopedia of New Media, 2003
  • Encyclopedia of International Media and Communications, 2003
  • Encyclopedia of Psychology (American Psychological Association), 2000
  • Encyclopedia of Public Relations, 2005
  • Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, 1996
  • International Encyclopedia of Communications, 1989
    This 4-volume set covers the field of communication at its broadest, including journalism and the media, communication theory and research, the arts, language, education, government regulation, advertising, speech, and religion. Historical contexts are covered, too, as are popular media such as motion pictures and television. Browse the topical guide (pp. 361-368), or use the index to find specific subjects.
  • International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (26 volumes), 2001
  • Magill's Encyclopedia of Social Science: Psychology, 2003

Annual Reviews and Series

Annual reviews either (a) summarize the literature of the past year, or (b) are topic-specific volumes published annually. Most communication reviews are of the latter variety. Publishers produce series volumes on a regular basis. They typically are on different themes each year, but are related topically.

Annual Review of Sociology Online This is a link to another web site - This site provide tables of contents, plus full text for subscribers (Kent State subscribes).

Annual Review of Psychology Online This is a link to another web site - This site provide tables of contents, plus full text for subscribers (Kent State subscribes).

Annual reviews and series in book form include the following. Look for these in your library.

  • Advances in the Study of Behavior
  • Annual Review of Applied Linguistics
  • Communication Yearbook
    Communication Yearbook annually presents research developments, literature reviews, and commentaries on different areas of communication study. Each volume includes a subject index and an author index. This source is also indexed by ComIndex and PsycINFO.
  • International and Intercultural Communication Annual
  • Progress in Communication Sciences (1979-2001)