COMM:1306 Understanding Communication - Humanistic Approaches: Home
About this guide
Guide content supports the teaching and research goals of multiple departments on campus. Content represents a non-exhaustive selection of essential resources and tools for engaging a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints.
Welcome!
This guide will assist you with finding resources and conducting successful library searches for COMM 1306. Topics in this guide include:
- How to search in InfoHawk+ (and get useful results)
- Where is Boolean? What is Boolean? Why is Boolean? (an overview of Boolean searching and its benefits)
- Popular press vs. scholarly articles (what's the difference and where to find each type)
- Recommended Databases for Communication Studies
- MLA Citation help
If you have any questions or need assistance, please ask a librarian! We are here to help!
Undergraduate Engagement Librarian

100 Main Library
andrea-anderson@uiowa.edu
Can't I just Google it?
Google is a familiar tool but there are other options that will make collegiate-level research much easier (and professor-approved!). This infographic charts the pros and cons of Google, Google Scholar, and library databases. Each one is useful in its own way. This course guide will help make you more comfortable with doing non-Google research.
Created by McMaster University Library. Used under Creative Commons license. Original found at https://library.mcmaster.ca/research/how-library-stuff-works.
Using InfoHawk+ to Find Articles
View in Panopto (upper-right pointing arrow) for full-screen.
Add this direct link to ICON or other webpages:
Using InfoHawk+ to Find Books
View in Panopto (upper-right pointing arrow) for full-screen.
Add this link to ICON or other webpages: