Research Guides: Social Media: Research Social Media

Key Search Words

Using the right words when you search can help you find more and better resources.

social media
social networking
online social networks
interpersonal communication technological innovations
internet social aspects
social interaction technological innovations

Start Learning About Your Topic

Background Reading:

It's important to begin your research learning something about your subject; in fact, you won't be able to create a focused, manageable thesis unless you already know something about your topic.

This step is important so that you will:

Begin building your core knowledge about your topic
Be able to put your topic in context
Create research questions that drive your search for information
Create a list of search terms that will help you find relevant information
Know if the information you’re finding is relevant and useful

If you're working from off campus, you'll need to login just like you do for your MJC email and Canvas classes.

Top Picks:

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

CQ Researcher Online This link opens in a new window
This is the resource for finding original, comprehensive reporting and analysis to get background information on issues in the news. It provides overviews of topics related to health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy in America.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Use this database for preliminary reading as you start your research. You'll learn about your topic by reading authoritative topic overviews on a wide variety of subjects.
Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
This is a great database to use when you want to explore different viewpoints on controversial or hot-button issues. It includes reports on more than 800 hot topics in business, politics, government, education, and popular culture. Use the search or browse topics by subject or A to Z.
Gale In Context: Global Issues This link opens in a new window
Use this database when you want to explore your topic from a global perspective or to analyze and understand the most important issues of the modern world with a global awareness. You'll find news, global viewpoints, reference materials, country information, primary source documents, videos, statistics, and more.

Explore Your Topic Further

Use these databases below to delve more deeply into specific aspects of your topic.

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

If you're working from off campus, you'll need to login just like you do for your MJC email and Canvas classes.

Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window
Contains articles from nearly 560 scholarly journals, some dating as far back as 1965
EBSCOhost Databases This link opens in a new window
Search 22 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. EBSCO databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
Gale Databases This link opens in a new window
Search over 35 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. Gale databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.

Web Sites

Use the Web to explore cutting-edge topics and to read current information.

Google Scholar is a great way to use Google to find scholarly information on the Web. Search Google Scholar below:

Browse Selected Web Sites:

You may also be interested in these two relevant and reliable Website below.

PewResearchCenter: Internet, Science & Tech
The Pew Research Center produces reports exploring the impact of the internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life.
Center for the Digital Future
Funded by the National Science Foundation and some of America's leading corporations, the Center's World Internet Project is a long-term study on the impact over time of computers, the Internet and related technologies on families and society.