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CST 110: Communicating Effectively, Balli, FA 2024: Home

Research Assistance

Reference Desk

Librarians can help you learn to make the most of the information resources, tools, and services at Murphy Library and beyond!

Weekdays & Sunday afternoons (fall/spring):

  • Visit us at the reference desk (1st floor)
  • Call us at 608.785.8508
  • Web Chat with us

Any time (year-round):


Local history and/or archives research? Special Collections / Area Research Center specialists are available!

Welcome

This library guide was put together to highlight information resources in communication studies and education. This is intended to help you access and explore library resources in order to find credible sources to use in your assignment.

Murphy Library connects UWL students to information not only by providing free access to resources, but also by offering help when it comes to searching for and evaluating information. Feel free to reach out to the library with any questions you have throughout your research process. This guide will be here for the remainder of the semester, so please refer back to it!

Search Tips

1. Start by thinking about your topic - which campus resource have you chosen to focus on?

Ask yourself, "What do I want to know?" What is relevant to the prompt of your assignment? What about this resource matters to you?

Pull out key terms (words or phrases you might use in a search) and make lists of synonyms for each term. Other universities might call the same organization on their campus by a different name!

2. Try searching in multiple places.

Search@UW is a far-reaching tool that covers a wide variety of information. Try your searches in a few of the library databases listed on this guide. Try your searches in a few of the journals. Try your searches in a web browser, like Google.

Don't try just one search. Try many different approaches with different search terms until you find relevant results!

Set aside a place for you to take notes while you search; keep track of where you've searched, what terms you've used, and save the permalinks so you can get back to any sources that caught your eye.

Start with simple keyword searches, then add filters to narrow your results. (Especially filtering by date!) Try out some advanced search tips in databases.

3. Access full text of articles.

Once you've read an abstract for an article you would like to continue reading, look for a link to view the PDF or to find the full text. Find It!

Use Murphy Library ILLiad Interlibrary Loan service for items not available in your local libraries.

4. Reach out for help!

Visit the library Reference Desk in Murphy. Call us at (608) 785-8508, email refemail@uwlax.edu, or use the Ask A Librarian online form. You can also set up an Individual Research Consultation.