Library Guides: Communication and Media: Recommended resources

Dictionaries and encyclopaedias

Dictionary of media and communication studies by Watson, J.
Publication Date: 2020
The Concise Encyclopedia of Communication by Wolfgang Donsbach
Publication Date: 2015
The International Encyclopedia of Media Studies by Valdivia, A. N. et al (Eds)
Publication Date: 2014

Quick links

eBook collections

ProQuest eBook Central This link opens in a new window
A huge and constantly growing multidisciplinary collection of eBooks. This collection is the Library’s largest collection of eBooks, and covers many of the subjects taught at Charles Sturt.
There are sometimes restrictions on the use of these eBooks. With high-demand items where there is a limit on concurrent users, we recommend that you find and download what you need and then close off the book/browser window to free up the licence for someone else. For a demonstration of how to do this, please see the Library’s short eBooks etiquette video. There are usually limitations on how much you can download and copy, but these should reset after 24 hours.

Some books are available for full download. If you wish to download a ProQuest eBook Central eBook to your computer, you need the free software Adobe Digital Editions. To download to a device, you need a free app: Bluefire Reader or Aldiko Book Reader (for android only).

For help with using this collection, see the ProQuest Ebook Central page in the Library’s eBooks guide. It includes a link to ProQuest’s own guide on the collection, and has embedded videos from ProQuest on the online reader and on downloads.
Wiley Online Library This link opens in a new window
A database of eJournals and eBooks published by John Wiley & Sons. Subjects covered range across all disciplines: Business; Education; Law; Medicine; Science; Social Sciences; the Humanities; and the Arts.
Charles Sturt Library subscribes mainly to eJournals in this database, but in 2011 commenced subscriptions to eBooks, so results of searches might include eBook results.

Charles Sturt has access to most of this collection in full-text. It is not possible to limit a search to full-text-only results, but in the results-list the full-text items are denoted by an unlocked-padlock icon.

Users can search the collection using a simple or advanced search, and can browse by publication or subject area.

The dates of journal coverage dates vary from journal to journal.
O'Reilly for Higher Education This link opens in a new window
A collection of thousands of eBooks and other resources, including videos and training resources, mainly in the areas of information technology and business. To access content on this site you need to follow a login process. See more … below.
This collection was previously known as Safari Books Online and previously contained only a relatively small number of eBooks. It now contains more than 35,000 items.

Specific topics covered include career development; cloud computing; data science; design; digital and network security; hardware; machine learning & artificial intelligence; mathematics, science & engineering; programming languages; software development; and system administration.

Content includes eBooks, videos, case studies, Learning Paths, and "Oriole" tutorials.

To log in from the O’Reilly login page:
• Enter your Charles Sturt email address or use student@csu.edu.au
• Click on the Sign in link or click in the password box (you don’t need to enter a password at this point)
• Click on Sign in with Single Sign On
• At the Charles Sturt login page, use your Charles Sturt username and password.

For more information, see the O'Reilly for Higher Education page in the Library's eBooks Guide.

See more tips on finding and using eBooks.

Library databases

Communication and Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
An EBSCOhost database on communication and mass media, with indexing and abstracting for more than 770 journals, and including the full-text of more than 450 journals and numerous books.
Communication & Mass Media Complete incorporates the content of CommSearch (formerly produced by the National Communication Association) and Mass Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Pennsylvania State University) along with numerous other journals in communication and mass media. It contains a sophisticated Communication Thesaurus

Subjects covered include communication; cultural studies; education; international relations; language and linguistics; mass media; media; politics; and public relations.

Coverage varies with title but extends back to 1915.

Communication & Mass Media Complete is one of many databases available in EBSCOhost. Once on the EBSCOhost search screen, you can change databases by clicking on the Choose Databases link above the search boxes. All EBSCOhost databases can be searched individually or in any combination.
Warc This link opens in a new window
Covering marketing and advertising, Warc is an online marketing information service, with a range of full-text resources including forecasts, case studies, best practice guides, industry trends, news, conference proceedings, and journal articles.
Warc takes its name from its previous full name, World Advertising Research Centre. It is a privately owned organisation headquartered in London.

Warc describes itself as a comprehensive marketing information service for the global marketing, advertising, media, research and academic communities. It provides authoritative forecasts of advertising expenditure for all major economies, and also provides case studies, best practice guides, marketing intelligence, consumer insight, industry trends, and news from around the world.

Material is drawn from Warc's own researchers and correspondents, but also from over 50 global sources, including Account Planning Group, the ARF, the Advertising Federation of Australia, Effie Worldwide, ESOMAR, Euromonitor, and The Futures Company.

Warc also publishes 5 magazines and journals - Admap, Market Leader, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Research, and International Journal of Market Research. These and other journals and conference proceedings are available in full-text in Warc.
SAGE Video - Media, Communication, & Cultural Studies Collection This link opens in a new window
A collection of hundreds of online streaming videos, covering communication and media and cultural studies.
Specific topics include:
* Advertising
* Communication studies
* Film production
* Journalism
* Media studies
* New media
* Popular culture and cultural studies
* Research methods for media, communication and cultural studies.

You can search the entire collection using Basic or Advanced Search, or browse by Topic, Video Type, or Contributor. Closed captions and transcripts are available.

You can create clips, retrieve and export citations, and build playlists.

For help with using the SAGE Video collections, go to the SAGE Video guide. You can see all the video titles at the title list.
TVNews This link opens in a new window
An Informit database of Australian free-to-air television news, current affairs, and (selected) documentary programs, available as digitised video. The link here will take you to the Informit platform with TVNews selected.
This database provides video from television news and current affairs programs, and selected documentaries, from the Australian free-to-air networks. All individual stories from a particular broadcast are indexed and have detailed summaries. TVNews is updated daily, with stories from an evening news broadcast generally being available the next morning.

The video for each story or documentary is available in WMV format as a progressive download, allowing viewing to begin before the total video file is transferred. Items range in duration from less than 30 seconds for short news stories, to more than 60 minutes for selected documentaries. Transcripts are NOT included.

Your searching from this link will be within the TVNews database only. You can change the database(s) you are searching using the Change Databases button. Unless you have changed databases, you will continue to search in TVNews. When you have run a search, your results list will include, at the top, which database(s) you have searched in.

You can use Simple Search or Advanced Search. Advanced Search offers more options for searching, and more limiters. When you have run a search, there are further options for filtering your results. For searching help, there is a useful set of Search Tips at the bottom of the Advanced Search Screen.

Coverage is from August 2007- present.
SAGE Journals Online This link opens in a new window
SAGE Journals Online provides online full-text access to the hundreds of journals published by SAGE. These journals are in the subject areas of business, humanities, social sciences, science, technology, and medicine.
Charles Sturt staff and students have some full-text access to most of the journals in this database. In Advanced Search, you can limit your search to Only content I have full access to (or to Open access content only). In your results list, full-text articles are marked with a green open-padlock icon.

You can search within individual journal titles or across the whole database, and browse journals by title, discipline or subject. The 4 disciplines are Health Sciences, Life & Biomedical Sciences, Materials Science & Engineering, and Social Science & Humanities, and each discipline has a number of subjects.

You can use My Tools to create alerts, save citations and searches, and set up "My Favourite Journals".

Coverage varies according to each journal, but in some cases extends as far back as 1879.

See all Communication databases.

Need some help with understanding how to use Library databases? See our Database Help Guide.

Websites and professional organisations

Websites

Australian Classification
Administers Australia's censorship and classification policy.
Australian Press Council
APC is responsible for promoting good standards of media practice, community access to information of public interest, and freedom of expression through the media.
Freedom of Information
Information about and access to the Federal Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) and includes links to state and territory FOI laws, which are legally enforceable right of access to government documents.
IFJ Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists
The Charter is based on major texts of international law, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Journalist's Toolbox
Fact checking and research tools presented by the US-based Society for Professional Journalists.
MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics
The Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance code of ethics and standards for journalists.

Professional organisations

Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance
The largest and most established union and industry advocate for Australian creative professionals.
International Federation of Journalists
The IFJ is the world's largest organisation of journalists, representing around 600,000 members in more than 100 countries.

Websites

ACCPA - The Centre for Corporate Public Affairs
A membership based organisation comprised of major organisations and corporations, which trade in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and internationally.
PRWeek
Explores current news and happenings in PR, with articles, case studies, podcasts, videos and more. Access PRWeek UK, Middle East and Asia from this site.
Institute for Public Relations
A non-profit foundation dedicated to fostering greater use of research and research-based knowledge in public relations and corporate communication practice.
Public Relations Institute of New Zealand - PRINZ
Established in 1954 to represent the public relations and communication management profession in New Zealand. Offers professional development opportunities and promotes public understanding of public relations.
Social Pro Daily
This Adweek blog is a source of news and insights into the brand marketing ecosystem.
H/Advisors
A national communications consultancy specialising in regulated sectors and complex stakeholder environments.

Professional Organisations

Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management
A confederation of the world's major PR and communication management associations and institutions, representing over 320,000 practitioners and academics around the world.
International Communication Consultancy Organisation
ICCO is the voice of public relations consultancies around the world. Their membership comprises 41 associations representing 70 countries across the globe. Collectively, these associations represent over 3,000 PR firms.
Advertising Council Australia
Committed to advancing the practice, reputation and influence of the advertising industry through career development and leadership. Aims to demonstrate the value of the industry to commerce and society.
Communication & Public Relations Australia
Formerly PRIA, CPRA supports Australia's communications and public relations professionals through education, networking, and a commitment to ethical practices.

Websites

Commercial Television Code of Practice
Free TV Australia has developed a new Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice that reflects Australia’s modern digital media landscape, upholds community standards and ensures appropriate viewer safeguards.
National Film & Sound Archives
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is the nation’s living archive – collecting, preserving and sharing our rich audiovisual heritage.
Screen Australia
Screen Australia offers funding and resources to support the development, production and marketing of Australian screen content.
Screen Hub
Screen Hub is an independent online marketplace of events, employment opportunities & resources in film, television, gaming & digital media in Australia.
Screen NSW
Screen NSW is a funding body which works to support the screen industry, provides advice and information, funds and promotes new content. collaborates and facilitates all types of filming in NSW.

Professional organisations

Australian Production Design Guild (APDG)
The Australian Production Design Guild is a non-profit membership organisation that aims to represent designers and their associates in screen, live performance, events and digital production across Australia.
Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance
The largest and most established union and industry advocate for Australian creative professionals.
Screen Producers Australia
Screen Producers Australia unite screen businesses to campaign for a healthy commercial environment, supported by a representative council and a full-time secretariat.
Women in Film And Television
Women in Film and Television Australia is committed to improving the status of women, both on and off the screen, by supporting and advancing women working in the film, television and related screen industries.