COMM 30000: Human Communication Theory: Start Here

This research guide will help you use library resources to find the original sources of communication theories.

Finding Original Sources

Use Your Textbook

• Looseleaf for a First Look at Communication Theory by Em Griffin; Andrew M. Ledbetter; Glenn G. Sparks
• Check your textbook for the theory and its original source in the references and copy the full citation.
• How do you know what kind of source you are looking for? 
  • Book  - author, title, publisher, year
  • Article - author, title, journal, volume/issue
  • Chapter - “in” + book title

Search Strategies

• Search by theorist’s name (author)
• Search by theory name in quotes - like "Cultivation Theory"
• Skip punctuation or articles - like a, an, the
• Try different tools depending on the type of source
  • Books or Chapters - try OneSearch (search by the book title)
  • Journal Articles - try Journal Finder or Databases

Watch out for editions!

OneSearch may show a later edition, reprint, or partial text.

• Books - Use OneSearch to check the date and edition. Expand your search with the "Beyond the Library" drop down if Hiram & OhioLINK don't have it.

• Articles - Use Journal Finder to confirm the exact year, volume, and issue.

Still can't find it? 

• Use Interlibrary Loan to request the full text

How do you know you really found the original? 

• Start with your textbook references → look for the oldest year by the theory’s author(s).
• Check Google Scholar (sort by date) to see if the author published anything earlier with the theory name.
• Look at review articles or handbooks → they often say, “This theory was first introduced in [YEAR] by [AUTHOR].”
• Aim for the earliest peer-reviewed article or book that introduces the theory.
• Don’t worry about small earlier mentions (like conference papers) — your professor wants the main original publication.