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Communication Studies Research Guide: Getting Started

Identifying a Topic

When researching and writing, it helps to find a specific area of research that interests you. You can look for topic ideas in the International Encyclopedia of Communication (linked below). 

Here are some broad communication topic areas and ideas to get you started:

  • Interpersonal - for example, the effect of tv violence on children; or relational communication on the internet
  • Public - for example, news coverage of national events; or media literacy
  • Health - for example, social support in dealing with health issues; or physician-patient communication
  • Organizational - for example, conflict processes in organizations; or social groups in organizations
  • Applied - for example, public relations strategies; or persusasive speaking
  • Global - for example, intercultural communication; or media systems

Finding Topics