Strategic Communication: Home

Supporting your research in the field of communication studies. For film and media studies, see our related subject guides (linked below).

Strategic Communication Resources: Quick Links

This guide is designed to assist members of the communication and media studies communities in their research endeavors. The tabs across the top of the page organize the information into workable categories.

Select from the following areas:

Articles: Best Bets

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
A broad index to periodicals, Academic Search Complete covers most academic areas of study, including social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, language and linguistics, arts and literature, medical sciences, and ethnic studies.
Academic Search Complete provides abstracts for more than 9,300 scholarly and popular periodicals, with full-text for more than 5,300 of these.
Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Communication & Mass Media Complete offers cover-to-cover indexing and abstracts for over 300 journals in areas related to communication and mass media, and selected coverage of over 100 more, for a combined coverage of over 400 titles.
Furthermore, this database includes full-text for nearly 200 journals. Many major journals have indexing, abstracts, PDFs and searchable citations from their first issues to the present (dating as far back as 1915).
ComAbstracts This link opens in a new window
ComAbstracts abstracts articles published in 40 primary journals of the communication field. Coverage varies for each journal, but usually begins in the late 1980s. The citation or abstract may be searched by keyword or phrase.
You can also browse a list of keywords. ComAnalytics provides data about the relative publication performance of individual scholars and of departments of communication (journalism, mass communication, speech, communication studies, media studies, rhetoric, etc.). ComUpdate allows you to select classification terms and a date range in order to stay current on recently added materials.

Data: Best Bets

Below are some "best bet" tools for locating data related to strategic communications, with an emphasis on the United States. Many of thee tools are also used in marketing. Please see the Marketing Libguide for related resources.

MRI-Simmons Insights
MRI-Simmons Insights is a database of US consumer survey data that provides information on who consumes what, and connects that to the consumers' demographics and media usage. It also is a source of marketshare data. For instructions on logging using this powerful but complex product, see please see this guide by librarian Abi Morgan, which includes several instructional videos.

Mintel Academic This link opens in a new window
NOTE: You will need to create an account to download data. See this tip sheet about how to register:

Has full-text in-depth market research reports and infographics covering consumer segments such as automotive, clothing, health, food, retail, travel, etc. Also reports on specific demographics (millennials, affluent consumers, multicultural, children, etc.), and specific themes (convenience, ethical, social media, mobile, etc.). Includes some global coverage.
SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new window
This web-based mapping application allows users to develop interactive thematic maps and reports using thousands of demographic, business, and marketing data variables Access is limited to 4 simultaneous users.
Miami's subscription includes access to data from the EASI Standard Package (which includes data from the year 2000, 2010, Current Estimates, and Five Year Projections), the EASI Life Stages Package, the Experian SimmonsLOCAL, and the Nielsen Claritas PRIZM&‌Acirc; Data Packages.
eMarketer This link opens in a new window
Provides charts, forecasts, and reports on marketing, advertising, ecommerce, finance, healthcare, and tech industries with an emphasis on consumer behavior.
Statista This link opens in a new window
Statista is a global data and business intelligence platform with an extensive collection of statistics & reports; insights into consumers and markets include brand share, sales channels, and more. Scope is US, international, global.
Categorized into 21 market sectors, it provides direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets. Statista includes data sources such as market research reports, trade publications, scientific journals, and government databases. For each statistic, metadata is also provided including but not limited to source, release date, number of respondents, and any other relevant details to facilitate verification of all statistical information available in the database.
Hoover's D&B Business Browser This link opens in a new window
This resource provides U.S. and international company and industry information. This source includes company financial data and corporate family trees, information on competitors, SWOT analyses, and analyst reports. Previously known as OneSource. 50 simultaneous users.
BCC Research This link opens in a new window
On campus access only. BCC Research provides detailed market research reports in emerging industries including biotech, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and information technology.
To login click on the Member Login button, then the IP Authenticate button.
Login/password required

Books: Best Bets

The Handbook of Strategic Communication by Carl H. Botan Presents cocreational perspectives on current international practices and theories relevant to strategic communication Brings together work from scholars and practitioners in the field to explore practical, national and cultural differences in modern approaches to strategic communication.
Call Number: HD30.3
ISBN: 9781118857205
Publication Date: 2021-05-03
Strategic Communication by Jesper Falkheimer; Mats Heide This textbook offers a broad insight into the field of strategic communication. The main aim of the book is to give a general overview of theories, concepts and methods in strategic communication.
ISBN: 9781315621555
Publication Date: 2018-01-19
The Public Relations Handbook by Alison Theaker The Public Relations Handbook, Fifth Edition provides an overview of the public relations industry. The chapters are united by a set of student friendly features throughout, including clear chapter aims, analytical discussion questions, and key further reading. Featuring contributions from key figures in the PR profession, this edition presents a new chapter on public relations and activism, alongside discussion of key critical themes in public relations research and exploratory case studies on public relations practices in relation to a variety of different institutions. This book is split into four parts exploring key conceptual themes of the context of public relations, strategic public relations, stakeholder public relations, and shaping the future.
Call Number: HD59
ISBN: 9781138890954
Publication Date: 2016-05-27
Public Relations: Competencies and Practice (1 simultaneous user) by Carolyn Mae Kim (Editor) Public Relations: Competencies and Practice focuses on the required competencies expected and applications of public relations into specific sectors of practice. Based on competencies identified by organizations such as the Commission on Public Relations Education and the Public Relations Society of America, Public Relations provides a robust examination of areas such as diversity, leadership, and ethics. Public Relations offers students competency- and practice-focused content from top PR experts and incorporates interviews from professionals in the field to show students how to apply competencies in specific practice sectors.
Call Number: HD59 .P835 2019
ISBN: 9781351374507
Publication Date: 2019-02-18
Primer of Public Relations Research, Third Edition (1 simultaneous user) by Don W. Stacks Primer of Public Relations Research describes the role of research in planning and evaluating PR campaigns, emphasizing standards-based practice. It presents step-by-step guidelines for using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods to track output, outtakes, and outcomes, and shows how to present research findings clearly to clients. New to This Edition: *Chapter on standardization, moving beyond the prior edition's focus on best practices. *Chapter on different types of data sets, with attention to the advantages and disadvantages of using Big Data. *Addresses the strategic use of key performance indicators. *Covers the latest content analysis software. Pedagogical Features: *Each chapter opens with a chapter overview and concludes with review questions. *End-of-chapter practice problems guide readers to implement what they have learned in a PR project. *Appendix provides a dictionary of public relations measurement and research terms.
Call Number: HM1221 .S78 2017eb
ISBN: 9781462527977
Publication Date: 2016-10-10