• Finding Books

• Finding Newspaper and Journal Articles

• Finding Facts, Statistics and other Information

• Reporting Resources on the Internet

NOTE:   Off-campus access to library databases listed in this guide is limited to WSU students, staff, and faculty. If you have questions, chat with us online. Just click on the Online Assistance button at the top right of this page. Or call the Reference Desk 626-6415  or toll free 1-877-306-3140

---

FINDING BOOKS

• Use the WSU online catalog to find what books,  journal titles, videos, etc. Stewart Library owns
• Use  catalogs from other libraries in Utah or around the world to see find materials owned by other librariesUse Interlibrary Loan service to borrow a book or get a journal article not owned by Stewart Library.    

 

FINDING NEWSPAPER AND JOURNAL ARTICLES

Newspaper articles may be found both on the web and in article databases to which the library subscribes. Generally web sites include only recent issues and only selected articles. Use article databases for additional coverage.

    WEB SITES FOR NEWS

•  Yahoo's News and Media Directory  is a good place to start
•  Gary Price has compiled a huge list of links to both national and international news at NewsCenter. Although it is no longer being updated, it may be of use
•  Newseum offers today's front page from over 400 newspapers in 37 countries with many from major US cities
• Try stateline.org to find out what's currently happening in any of the 50 states. It also includes biographical information on each state's governor and links to a variety of state information.
  

    ARTICLE DATABASES 

The library subscribes to over 250 article databases which can be used to find articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals.  Most databases are also available from off-campus using your WSU user name and password. To get a copy of an article from a journal or magazine not owned by Stewart Library, use our Interlibrary Loan service. 

• LexisNexis Academic Numerous full-text and some reference databases. Subject focus is news, legal information, medical, and business. Includes full text news articles from newspapers world-wide and  from New York Times back to June 1980. 
• CIOS/ComAbstracts/Com Index Indexes communication journals; includes links to web sites in the field of communication, by Communication Institute for Online Scholarship (CIOS). Lots of useful info for communication students.
• CIS Congressional Universe Excellent source of information about Congress, Congressional hearings, federal laws, etc.
• Communication and Mass Media Complete The best starting place for articles from communication journals
• EbscoHost This group of databases has many full-text articles.  A great starting place for most subjects.   Use Academic Search Premier to find citations and full-text articles from academic journals covering many topics.  Use Newspaper Source to search articles in U.S. & international newspapers.
• Ethnic Newswatch Full-text database with articles from ethnic and minority newspapers in the U.S.
• Gender Watch  Full-text database with articles dealing with gender issues   
• Proquest Newspapers  Includes the online full-text version of Wall Street Journal  and access to other newspapers.  For other databases on business and criminal justice topics, click on the multiple databases link next to the search box.
• SIRS Knowledge Source Full-text articles from newspapers and magazines.  Also provides access to maps, almanac excerpts and government information.
  

Other To find other databases on a variety of subjects, go to our Article Databases page. If you need assistance please contact us.

 

FINDING FACTS, STATISTICS, AND OTHER INFORMATION

Stewart Library owns many excellent reference sources.  The Internet provides access to many more.  

    BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• CQ Researcher Each weekly issue is devoted to a topic of current interest, such as government spending, abortion, genetic engineering, mental health, etc., with a chronology, statistics, an examination of the different facets of the issue, and a bibliography. A good place to start. (Print version available at Reference desk for 1991-2006)
  
• Facts on File  (Print only, 1950-2004, located in Reference and General Collections:  D 410 .F3) Summary of U.S. and world events;  weekly, with annual compilations.
  
• Other 
  • Use any of the Encyclopedias listed below.
  • Use any of the resources listed above under Finding Newspaper and Journal Articles.

 

   FINDING FACTS

Almanacs are compilations of facts and figures on just about any  subject, from the Super Bowl to the Oscars, from the GNP of Mali to the seven wonders of the ancient world. Two of the best known are:

• The World Almanac  Current print edition at Reference desk, also available via LexisNexis Academic with excerpts available through SIRS Knowledge Source
• Time Almanac (formerly Information Please Almanac) Current print edition at reference desk or try the web version at Infoplease.com

Encyclopedias are excellent sources of basic information on a subject.

• Stewart Library subscribes to many online encyclopedias.  Good ones to start with are:
  • Credo (formerly xreferplus) - over 150 different titles
  • Oxford Reference Online
  • Gale Virtual Reference Library
  • AccessScience
  • For others, go to the Database Finder, click on Reference.
• Subject specific encyclopedias may be found by using the online catalog or ask at the Reference Desk.

Chronologies  Use chronologies to find out who did what, when.  

• Several excellent general and subject specific chronologies are located on Reference Table 2B. 
• Many chronologies and timelines may also be found on the web. The timelines listed by Yahoo are a good place to start.

Virtual Libraries  Compilations of a wide variety of web resources, sorted by subject.

• The Internet Public Library answers factual questions online. Check out their Frequently Asked Reference Questions  or Pathfinders sections first.  If you can't find the answer, give it a try but be aware that it may take a while to get a response.
  
• Librarian's Guide to the Internet Some of the best web sites arranged by subject. Take a look at their "Ready Reference and Quick Facts" section
  
• Refdesk.com Billed as the "single best place for facts"
  

Famous First Facts Want to know who did what first?  This is the place to look. Located on Reference Table 2B.  (Also known as Kane's Famous First Facts)

Chase's Calendar of Events  Day-by-day directory listing birthdays, anniversaries, annual events, etc. Located on Reference Table 2B.

Other  Use any of the resources listed above under  Finding Newspaper and Journal Articles. 

 

  FINDING STATISTICS

• Bureau of Labor Statistics  A large number of statistics related to U.S. labor, production, consumer price index, etc. Look on their home page for an inflation calculator to compare prices going back to 1913.
  
• Statistical Abstract of the U.S.  The best starting place for U.S. statistics, goes back to 1878. Also available in print at Reference desk. For historical data, also try Historical Statistics of the United States--Millennial edition
• Statistical Abstract of Utah  Dated (1996) but provides a wide variety of statistics from Utah government agencies. Located at Reference desk.  The library also has many  publications of Utah state agencies listed in the library catalog.  Many Utah statistics are now available on the web.  Start at the Utah.gov page. 
   
• Statistical Resources on the Web   A great collection of links to government statistics  gathered by Stewart Library's Government Documents Coordinator. 
  
• The Government Statistics site by the University of Michigan is an excellent starting place.  It includes non-government and foreign sources.  

Other resources The library owns or has access to numerous other statistical resources.  Many statistical sources are located on Reference Table 9B.   For other information, ask for help at the Reference desk.

   FINDING GOVERNMENT INFORMATION

Government Documents are a wonderful source of information on practically any subject.  Most of the documents we own are located in the Government Publications stacks at the north end of the main floor, past the Reference desk. Some of our documents are listed on the library's online catalog. To find other documents use finding aids, such as those listed below.  (For statistics, see C.  Finding Statistics)

General

• Links to some of the best government web sites can be found on Stewart Library's government documents page. The University of Michigan and the University of Memphis also have excellent Internet home pages listing many government sites.
  
• GPO Access is the main gateway to Federal government information.  It contains links to the budget, GAO Reports, Congressional information, Supreme Court decisions, presidential documents and more.
  
• Monthly Catalog is an index to documents published by the Government Printing Office. The online version is known as Catalog of U.S. Government Publications and goes back to 1994. Print editions before that date may be found in our Government Publications area.  Our database GPO on SilverPlatter is one of the easiest ways to begin searching and covers 1976 to the present.

Congressional Information  

• CIS Congressional Universe is probably the best place to start.   It is a collection of databases covering legislative information and contains many full-text documents.  
  
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)  Subject based listing of the rules and regulations of the various executive departments and agencies of the U.S. Government.  Print edition in Government Publications reference stacks. Also available online via CIS Congressional Universe .
  
• Federal Register The official place of publication for Presidential documents and executive orders, as well as notices, rules and proposed rules from federal entities. Also available online via  LexisNexis Academic
• U.S. Code The subject arrangement of U.S. Laws. Also available via LexisNexis.
  
• U. S. Government Manual The official listing of all U.S. government agencies with their duties, responsibilities, etc. Latest print edition is at the Reference desk.
  
• U.S. Statutes at Large (Public Laws) The chronological arrangement of all U.S. Laws. Print edition is in Government Publications reference stacks. Also available via LexisNexis Academic.

For other sources of information about Congress, try the following:

• Congress.org.
• Congressional Information on the GPO Access page  
• Thomas Legislative Information from the Library of Congress  
• Project Vote-Smart 

Census information is available on the web at www.census.gov as well as on CD-ROM and in book form.  Their "Facts for Features" (under Newsroom) provides ideas and statistics for current event articles.   Also check out the American FactFinder.

Utah Census and demographic information may be found online. Books with detailed information from the most recent census are kept at the Reference desk. Other census material is located in the government publications stacks.

State Information may be found at stateline.org and from the Stewart Library State Resources web page.

Utah government  All Utah state documents owned by the library are listed in our online catalog. The Utah Code is on Reference Table 2A and online via  LexisNexis Academic. For information about Utah on the web, see  Utah.gov.

Local government The library keeps some Ogden/Weber government information, such as the Ogden City budget on Reference Table 2A.  There are also web pages for Ogden, Weber County and Davis County. For other Utah links, see the Stewart Library's Utah page.

Other government information 

• CIA World FactBook  is a good source of basic information (print edition located on Reference Table 5B.)   
• The United Nations has a good web page with many international facts and statistics
• Use the University of Michigan Documents page for easy access to state and city government pages.

  FINDING LEGAL INFORMATION

Federal Laws 

CIS Congressional Universe is the best place to start for federal laws and legislation. For other sources of information about the federal legislative process, look at the following: 

• Congressional Information on the GPO Access page
• Congress.org
• Project Vote-Smart
• Thomas Legislative Information from the Library of Congress  

State and Federal Laws, Court Cases, etc.

• LexisNexis Academic includes codes and court cases from all states.  Many law journals are available with full-text articles.

Utah Laws   

• The Utah Code  in print is on Reference Table 2A.  It is also available in LexisNexis Academic and the web. For information about Utah laws on the web, see Utah.gov..  All Utah state documents owned by the library are listed in the library's online catalog.

Media Law information The best way to find information about media and communications law is to look for a specific subject area.  If you look for books and articles using general terms like media law or communications law, you may not find much.  You will find a lot of information if you use such terms as:   First Amendment, freedom of the press, libel, privacy, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), obscenity, protection of sources, Internet, copyright and so on. 

General background information

• West's Encyclopedia of American Law  and its supplement American Law Yearbook  are located on Reference Table 2A. The newest edition is available online for WSU students
• Legal Collection An online index to legal periodicals

Useful Legal Sites on the Internet  

• FindLaw A major web site for legal information 
• Free! the Freedom Forum Online Articles and links from the Freedom Forum
• Legal Information Institute's Eye on the Courts:  Newsworthy Decisions  
• llrx.com  Lots of legal info here
• The Media Access Project A non-profit law firm that promotes First Amendment rights
• Media Guide to the Utah State Courts  Designed to assist journalists to navigate the court system as they report on cases and court programs
• Oyez Project from Northwestern University includes audio format of current arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court and find other good information

  FINDING INFORMATION ON PEOPLE, PLACES & GROUPS

Finding People 

Besides searching directories such as Switchboard.com and search engines such as Google.com try these:

•  Who's Who in America (located in Reference stacks:   E 176 .W642)
•  Biography Reference Bank  Especially useful for people in the news since 1940
•  Biographical Directory of Congress

Finding Places  Atlases and gazetteers are the places to start. Geographical information in print format may be found in the following books on Reference Table 5A:

• The Columbia Gazetteer of the World.  
• Encyclopedia of World Cultures 
• The Europa World Year Book  Especially good for statistics on each country of the world
• The Statesman's Yearbook Basic facts on countries of the world

    Online sources include

• Credo reference Geography - includes atlas, gazetteer and dictionaries.
• CIA World Factbook
• Historical Map Collection from the University of Texas at Austin
• National Geographic Map Machine  
• USGS Geographic Names Information System
• Google Earth - satellite images from Google.
• Country Reports  from the U.S. State Dept.

Finding Groups 

• The Encyclopedia of Associations (kept at Reference desk) lists American groups and organizations.  The Encyclopedia of Associations: International Associations is  also located at the Reference Desk.
  
• The Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media (Reference Table 4A) provides information about media such as officials, addresses, circulation, range, etc. 
  
• The Washington Information Directory (at Reference desk) is a guide to government and private groups working in Washington, D.C.  It includes addresses and contacts for government agencies, lobbyists, media groups, etc.  

Finding Information about Weber State   

• Back issues of the Signpost and yearbooks are available in Special Collections, 2nd floor south. 
• University Archives can be found in Archives, Stewart Library.
• WSU Budget is kept in Media/Reserve on the lower level. 
• The Budget and Institutional Research Office home page is a particularly good source of information.  
• The Communication Department also has a home page.
• WSU home page.  

  

REPORTING RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET

SITES FOR JOURNALISTS

American Communication Association Contains links to information of interest to all in the field of communications, such as freedom of speech and information issues, telecommunications issues, and guides to information in many communications subfields.

American Journalism Review  A premier site for journalists. Check out their "Reporters Tools" and  "Writing Aids"

CIOS:  Communication Institute for Online Scholarship  Provides access to a large number of useful internet links, articles on communication, and so on.

Committee to Protect Journalism  Dedicated to freedom of the press around the world.

Current Awareness Resources via Streaming Audio & Video   Another compilation of links by Gary Price. This list focuses on audio/video services that can be of use to the information professional who monitors current events.

CyberJournalist.net  This site includes journalism news and lots of relevant links. Click on their "Tips & Tools" for info about online journalism and how to use the Internet for reporting. By the American Press Institute.

The Electronic Journalist   Lots of useful information from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting FAIR, a national media watch group, reports on media bias and censorship issues.

IRE:  Investigative Reporters and Editors Organization page with much information on developing and maintaining skills, job postings and other journalism information. Their Broadcast Center includes award-winning clips of video-streamed broadcasts for the past 20 years.

John Makulowich's Awesome List Sites selected by former journalist for their usefulness

JournalismNet  By Julian Sher.  Has information about and links to resources for finding internet information, finding people, online media, databases and reference tools, story topics, etc.  Based in Canada, but very useful for anyone in the field.

JournalistExpress A favorite site of Peter Jennings, this one aims to give busy journalists the best of the web.

 

Media Guide to the Utah State Courts  Designed to assist journalists to navigate the court system as they report on cases and court programs

 

MegaSources   Compiled by Dean Tudor, Professor at the Ryerson Polytechnic University (Canada) School of Journalism.   Despite emphasis on Canadian sources, very useful for U.S. reporters as well.  Subjects covered include  finding experts, a list of "best on the net" resources, online reference help, search engines, etc.

Niles Online:  Providing guidance & services to information professionals  Produced by Robert Niles.   The section on on Finding Data has a very useful annotated list of links.   Also provides a tutorial for understanding the types of statistics used today.

Power Reporting Lots of great links here, including top 100 Web sites for journalists

Speech and Transcript Center  Compiled by Gary Price, a good starting place for both current and historical speeches, etc.

Student Press Law Center "A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing legal help and information to student media and journalism educators."

Virtual Gumshoe A good collection of links for investigative reporting.

Writing and Reporting News, by Carol Rich, 4th ed.  The online guide to accompany this textbook has links to many good websites, organized by topic.

OTHER USEFUL SITES

Ethics Updates  Provides updates on current literature that relates to ethics.

FBI FOIA Files   Online access to some of the FBI files released because of the Freedom of Information Act.

Freedom of Information Center  Provides information and guides to FOIA.

Media History Project  "Promoting the study of media history from petroglyphs to pixels"

The National Security Archive  A non-governmental research institute and library located at George Washington University.  It collects and publishes documents obtained through the FOIA.

The Smoking Gun  Another group that publishes FOIA and other documents, more oriented to celebrities and "hot" news.

The Wayback Machine (= Internet Archive)  "a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form."

American Memory Historical Collections from the Library of Congress.  A great place to find information and images for retrospective/historical pieces.

Snopes.com   Check out the validity of web rumors and urban legends

 

You can't find everything on the web, but you can find a lot.  Make it easy on yourself and learn how to use a search engine properly - always check out the advanced search features.  Besides Google,   try Google Scholar, alltheweb.com and ask.com which offers suggestions for narrowing your topic.  

Learn how to Google like a pro:  A Scholarly Guide to Google from Widener Library, Harvard.

"The Hidden Web"  consists of sites that search engines can't find, usually due to the type of files they contain, such as database files.  Many of these sites are very useful.  The best way to find them is to use directory listings.  Good general directories include: Librarian's Internet Index and The Internet Public Library, as well as the directory features of Google and Yahoo .