Search Guides
JOUR 271: Information Gathering
This guide supports the research done in Ellen Meacham's JOUR 271 class.
Librarian
Fact-Checkers
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AllSidesView three news stories at once to see how organizations with different biases treat the same issues.
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POLITIFACTSee how news stories can be broken down to true, half-true, or totally fabricated elements.
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SnopesMonitor news stories for outdated information, content that originated as satire, misquoted statements, circulating scams, and more.
Library Databases
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One Search This link opens in a new windowFind articles, books, e-books, and more. Searches the majority of UM Libraries print and online holdings.
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Communication Source This link opens in a new windowAn upgraded version of Communication and Mass Media. Provides the most robust, quality research solution in areas related to communication and mass media.
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CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Contains original, comprehensive reports and analysis on issues in the news. CQ Researcher is part of CQ Collections.
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Digital Newspapers at UM LibrariesProvides a list with direct links to UM Libraries digital newspapers collection.
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Mississippi Newspapers at UM LibrariesUM Libraries holdings of digital Mississippi newspapers and Mississippi newspapers on microfilm.
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Newspapers at UM LibrariesUM Libraries holdings of digital newspapers and finding aids for print and microform newspaper collections.
Data and Statistical Resources
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ICPSR This link opens in a new windowOne of the world's largest repositories of social science data and documentation. Topics covered include sociology, political science, economics, demography, education, child care, health care, crime, minority populations, and more.
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Roper Center For Public Opinion Research This link opens in a new windowCollection of polling data from 1936 to the present that includes US polling firms, social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs, and more.
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Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowOnline research tool designed to provide quick and easy access to modern and historical census data and demographic information.
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Statista This link opens in a new windowProvides users with an innovative and intuitive tool for researching quantitative data, statistics, and related information.
Journals
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BrowZine This link opens in a new window
Visual platform that enables users to browse the University Libraries' full-text scholarly journal subscriptions by subject area.
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Journal A-ZSearch by publication name to see available journals
Browse Databases by Subject
Government Resources
This section provides a small sample of Mississippi and U.S. Federal Government resources.
Mississippi Resources
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2024-2028 Statistical Register or Blue BookContains current, historical, and statistical information about officials, agencies, elections, county and municipal governments, and more.
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Maps via Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT)Links to highway, recreational, travel, statistical, historical, and governmental unit and district maps.
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MS.govHome page for state government. Links to online services, information for residents, visitors, state employees, about business, education, government.
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Mississippi LegislatureOfficial website for Mississippi legislative information.
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Quicklinks to MS government resourcesFind agencies, elected officials, services, and more.
U.S. Federal Resources
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Congress.govOfficial website for federal legislative information. Coverage begins in 1973 (93rd) for metadata, 1993-1995 (103rd-104th) for full text.
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Federal Government Data and StatisticsA list of government resources that provide demographic, economic, and population data.
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National Institutes of HealthNIH website with links to resources for consumers, physicians, researchers.
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Science.govSearches over 38 databases and 1,950 selected websites, offering 200 million pages of authoritative U.S. government science information, including research and development results.
Interactive Maps and Public Records Data
Knowing Your Community
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Explore Census DataAccess demographic, economic and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Explore census data with visualizations and view tutorials.
Browse geographic profiles that provide data for housing, education, employment, income, and more! Browse by country and state, or search for a specific city or county.
Census Profiles for the United States, Mississippi, and Lafayette county, MS.
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City of OxfordFind information on city departments and officials, history, school districts, and more.
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Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of CommerceA great source for local demographic and business information.
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First Regional Library SystemThe library system which includes Lafayette County & Oxford Public Library.
Finding Experts
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Diverse SourcesThis database provides experts with underrepresented voices and perspectives in science, health, and environment work.
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ExpertFileAn online database of experts in different subject areas, used by the Associated Press.
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Google ScholarA search engine for scholarly articles, useful for finding experts in a specific field.
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HARO (Help a Reporter Out)This platform connects journalists with experts who are willing to be interviewed or quoted.
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ProfNetA network of experts available for interviews, designed specifically for journalists.
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SourceBottleA connection platform for journalists and bloggers to find knowledgeable sources.
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Subject-Specific Article Databases from UM LibrariesUse a library article database to search for academics who are writing about your topic.
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Working SourcesA database that features alternative experts who are available to the press. Their authority derives from either lived experience or professional expertise or both.