Guides: Communication Studies: Public Relations

Citation Generators

Many databases will create a citation for you. Click on an article title, then look for a link or icon that says "Citation Tools" or "Cite". You can cut and paste the citation to include in your list of references.

If you're using a book or website, or you find an article that's not in a database, these websites will automatically create citations for your sources, but you may need to enter some information manually, and ALWAYS make sure to double-check the results.

Websites for Writing & Citing Help

Purdue OWL(Online Writing Lab)
A very detailed, user-friendly guide with sample papers and many citation examples.
- MLA Guide
- APA Guide
Learning APA Style
This website by the APA includes tutorials, sample papers, and FAQs.
MLA Style Center
This MLA website Includes Quick Guides to MLA style, FAQs, and sample papers.

Using MS Word Templates

Where to Find Articles

Search these databases to find articles related to public relations:

SAGE Journals Online
Includes articles on : Business & Management, Organizations Studies, Human Resource Management, Human Resource Development, , Marketing, Analytical Marketing, S Industrial Relations, Small Business/Entrepreneurship, Organizational Communication and Interpersonal Communication.
Demographics Now
Find information about specific businesses or compare businesses competing in a specific geographic area using this database

Citation and Style Books

MLA Handbook by The Modern Language Association of America
Call Number: LB 2369 .C53 2016
Publication Date: 2016
Sources today are published today in a dizzying range of formats. A book, for example, may be read in print, online, or as an e-book--or perhaps listened to in an audio version. On the Web, modes of publication are regularly invented, combined, and modified. In this shorter and redesigned for easy use new edition the MLA recommends instead one universal set of guidelines, which writers can apply to any type of source.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by American Psychological Association
Call Number: BF 76.7 .P83 2020
Publication Date: 2020
n addition to providing guidance on grammar, the mechanics of writing, and APA style, this manual offers an authoritative reference and citation system. It also covers the treatment of numbers, metrication, statistical and mathematical data, tables and figures for use in writing, reports or presentations.
APA Style Guide to Electronic References by American Psychological Association
Call Number: BF 76.7 .A833 2007
Publication Date: 2007
The Associated Press Stylebook 2019 by Associated Press
Call Number: PN 4783 .A83 2019
Publication Date: 2019
The style of the Associated Press is the gold standard for news writing. WithThe AP Stylebook in hand, you can learn how to write and edit with the clarity and professionalism for which they are famous. Includes invaluable additional sections on the unique guidelines for business and sports reporting and on how you can guard against libel and copyright infringement.
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by The University The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff
Call Number: Z 253 .U69 2017
Publication Date: 2017
While digital technologies have revolutionized the publishing world in the twenty-first century, one thing still remains true: The Chicago Manual of Style is the authoritative, trusted source that writers, editors, and publishers turn to for guidance on style and process. For the sixteenth edition, every aspect of coverage has been reconsidered to reflect how publishing professionals work today

Evaluating Sources

When evaluating sources, consider the following:

Who are the Authors
Objectivity and Purpose
Content and Accuracy
Currency
Coverage

See this handout for more information.

Fact Checking Websites

Annenberg Institute's Critical Thinking Resources
Lists political leanings of organizations on different issues.
FactCheck.org
Created by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, consumer advocate that monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political figures.
American Press Institute's Fact-Checking Resources
Links, tools and techniques for fact-checking various sources and issues, including social media and web content, public health, crime, health care, and climate change.
Politifact
"PolitiFact is a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida"
OpenSecrets.org Center for Responsive Politics
A nonpartisan, nonprofit, and independent group that tracks money in U.S. politics.
Fact Checker's Code of Principles
from the international Fact-Checking Network
Hands-on Fact-checking: A Short Course
Free online course to help reporters learn to identify credible sources.
Africa Check
A nonprofit organization in Africa that tests claims made by public figures, institutions and the media against the best possible evidence.
Duke University's Reporters Lab
Includes links to global fact-checking site and fact-checking news.
Guidestar
GuideStar gathers, organizes, and distributes information about U.S nonprofits.
Charity Navigator
Evaluates charities based on their financial health, accountability, and transparency.

Communication Studies: Public Relations