To find literature about a topic, we first need to identify the topic's key concepts and the related keywords.
Sample topic: Nonverbal communication and gesture use during fabricated and truthful accounts of previous experiences
Key concepts | Related keywords |
Nonverbal communication | Body language, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, nonverbal behaviors |
Deception | Lying, insincere, trickery, deceit, dishonest |
Cognitive load | Working memory, intrinsic, extraneous, germane |
Gestures | Adaptors, emblems, illustrators |
The final step is to select a library resource, like a database or journal, and search for the topic using a few different search tricks.
Type your search terms into a search box to find articles related to the topic.
Search trick | Example | Description |
"Quotation marks" | "nonverbal communication" | Each result will contain the exact phrase included in the quotes |
AND Google Scholar: A space = AND |
"nonverbal communication" AND deception Google Scholar: "nonverbal communication" deception |
Each result will contain all keywords |
OR + parentheses () | ("cognitive load" OR "working memory") | Each result will contain at least one of the keywords connected by OR and included in the parentheses |
Asterisk (*) | dece* = deceit, deceive, deceived, deception, etc. | Each result will include variations of the root of the keyword |
Combine AND, quotation marks, OR and parentheses, and asterisks * to create a more complex searches.
Example: "nonverbal communication" AND ("cognitive load" OR "working memory") AND gestures AND dece*
Below is the list of approved journals for COMM 421
Visit the Guide to Communication Studies for a list of other journals that may include articles related to your topic.
Library Databases: Use these resources to search for your topic in multiple journals at once.
Library Databases: Use these resources to search for your topic in multiple journals at once.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a Library service that allows you to request materials, such as articles or books, that are neither owned by the UI Library nor available through Summit.
Interlibrary Loan is free.
First time users: Visit the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) website to set-up your ILL account
To place an Interlibrary Loan request: