Exploring the Role of Newspapers in Historical Research
CMNS 210: Media history
Finding news sources
Sylvia Roberts
Liaison librarian for Communicationsroberts@sfu.ca
#1
#2
#3
Do any of you read
newspapers?
What do you know
about newspapers as
an information
source?
Why would CMNS
researchers use news
sources as evidence?
Research outcomes for today
•
Role of newspapers, news magazines and trade
magazines in historical research
•
Identify suitable databases for your topic by scope:
•
Type of publications included
•
By date coverage
•
By geographic coverage
•
Effective full-text search techniques to find
relevant articles
•
Finding the full text of articles not available online
EXAMPLE
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, February 9). Video game console.
In
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
. Retrieved February 10, 2020,
from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Video_game_console
&oldid=939970186
SCOPE OF DATABASE:
•
Chronology
New? Popular? Change in use?
•
Geography
Uptake / availability of technology may vary
•
Nature of publications
Newspapers
Popular magazines (lifestyle, sport, technology)
SEARCH TERMS
:
•
Generic variations
radio OR wireless
•
Brand names
•
Terminology change over time or geography
mobile OR cell
PREPARING TO SEARCH
Index databases versus Full text searching
The inverted pyramid is a metaphor
used by journalists to illustrate how
information should be prioritized and
structured in prose (e.g. a news
report).
Searching for your terms in the
headline and lead paragraph
helps
you find news stories that focus on
your topic.
Search options for full text news sources
•
Natural language
•
Term & connectors
•
Boolean (and, or, not)
•
Proximity (same, w/5)
•
Wildcards (! *, ?)
•
Limiters
•
By source
•
By date
•
Words within specific fields /
segments
•
Headline
•
Headline & lead paragraph
•
Byline
•
Section (editorial, opinion)
•
Filter after searching
New search terms:
“hand-held computer”
“pen computer”
Search options for index/abstract databases
•
Database record describes the
document, with links to full text
•
Effective search uses keywords and
operators NOT natural language
•
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Limit prior to search
•
By type of source or source title
•
By date
•
Search within fields:
•
Author
•
Subject
•
Title
•
Filter results after searching
FINDING THE FULL TEXT OF THE ARTICLE
FINDING THE FULL TEXT OF THE ARTICLE
Other archival formats:
Print (bound journals)
Microform
Both can be scanned to digital files, using
the photocopiers or the microfilm readers
on the 6
th
floor of the Bennett Library.
Public library print archives of popular magazines
News databases at SFU
https://newspapers.lib.sfu.ca/newspaper-
categories/immigrant-experience
https://mediahistoryproject.org/about/history.php
Newspapers on microfilm
Delve into the significance of newspapers as valuable sources of information for historical research. Learn how to identify suitable databases based on publication scope, date coverage, and geographic range. Discover effective search techniques and strategies to access full-text articles offline.
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Presentation Transcript
CMNS 210: Media history Finding news sources Sylvia Roberts Liaison librarian for Communication sroberts@sfu.ca
#1 #3 #2
Do any of you read newspapers? What do you know about newspapers as an information source?
Why would CMNS researchers use news sources as evidence?
Research outcomes for today Role of newspapers, news magazines and trade magazines in historical research Identify suitable databases for your topic by scope: Type of publications included By date coverage By geographic coverage Effective full-text search techniques to find relevant articles Finding the full text of articles not available online
PREPARING TO SEARCH SCOPE OF DATABASE: Chronology New? Popular? Change in use? Geography Uptake / availability of technology may vary Nature of publications Newspapers Popular magazines (lifestyle, sport, technology) SEARCH TERMS: Generic variations radio OR wireless Brand names Terminology change over time or geography mobile OR cell Wikipedia contributors. (2020, February 9). Video game console. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Video_game_console &oldid=939970186
Full text news database records are structured like newspaper articles so the field labels reflect that: Headline is the title Lead is the first paragraph Byline is the author
The inverted pyramid is a metaphor used by journalists to illustrate how information should be prioritized and structured in prose (e.g. a news report). Searching for your terms in the headline and lead paragraph helps you find news stories that focus on your topic.
ADDED INFORMATION TO ENHANCE SEARCHING
Search options for full text news sources Natural language Term & connectors Boolean (and, or, not) Proximity (same, w/5) Wildcards (! *, ?) Limiters By source By date Words within specific fields / segments Headline Headline & lead paragraph Byline Section (editorial, opinion) Filter after searching
New search terms: hand-held computer pen computer
The section of the newspaper may indicate the importance of topic (p.1 most newsworthy) or the intended readers (sports, business, entertainment, ladies pages )
Search options for index/abstract databases Database record describes the document, with links to full text Effective search uses keywords and operators NOT natural language Boolean operators connect search terms: Limit prior to search By type of source or source title By date Search within fields: Author Subject Title palm pilot OR personal digital assistant OR PDA OR hand-held computers Filter results after searching palm pilot AND productivity
Other archival formats: Print (bound journals) Microform Both can be scanned to digital files, using the photocopiers or the microfilm readers on the 6th floor of the Bennett Library.
https://newspapers.lib.sfu.ca/newspaper- categories/immigrant-experience
