Hekman Library: COMM101: Oral Rhetoric: Home

Liaison Librarian

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Subjects: Art & Art History, Communication, English, Gender Studies, Philosophy

Need a review of Hekman Library basics? Check out this "Get Connected" guide or browse our How-to playlist on Youtube.
If you're off-campus, remember to start at the library homepage when connecting to databases and ebooks, so you'll be recognized as a Calvin user (when you're prompted to login, enter your Calvin username and passphrase).
Struggling with citations? For more help, see the library's longer Citation 101 guide or try using Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab)

In some subject areas, there are scholarly, well-known reference sources you could use for research, such as:

Oxford Art Online
Oxford Art Online is the gateway to Oxford’s art reference works, including the peer-reviewed, regularly updated Grove Dictionary of Art and the Benezit Dictionary of Artists. It includes reference articles on topics that span ancient to contemporary art and architecture, and also provides thousands of images of works of art, structures, plans, and artist signatures.

Note: There is a sign-in limit of three simultaneous users. This means that if three people are signed in at once, a fourth user will have to wait in line until at least one person signs out and a log-in becomes available.
In addition to the Grove Dictionary of Art and Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Oxford Art Online also includes the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics (2nd edition), The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Most reference articles provide extensive bibliographies and links to related resources. Other helpful features include learning resources such as subject guides, timelines, and resources for educators.

Also check out the recommended print and online reference sources in the library's subject guide(s) related to your topic.

Tips for finding background info on the web:

If you do use Wikipedia as a starting point, check the references and only use those that are credible and authoritative.
Look for a major (and unbiased) organization, association, or governmental website related to your topic.

All Sides News
Website that covers media sources and identifies their different political perspectives.
Media Bias Chart
Blog of Vanessa Otero, creator of a media bias chart widely circulated after the November 2016 election. (Note that this chart has been repeatedly updated since then.)

ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States 2022 The Statistical Abstract of the United States has provided a statistical portrait of social, political, demographic, and economic conditions of America since 1878. It can be especially helpful as a starting point, even for finding statistics on the web.
Call Number: Research Help Desk (2nd floor)
Publication Date: 2022

USA.gov Data and Statistics
Find data about the U.S., such as maps and population, demographic, and economic data.
Local Demographic Data
Guide created by Hekman librarian, Katherine Swart, on finding Grand Rapids and Michigan demographic data
Pew Research Center
Studies and surveys on a number of social and political topics, including the environment, global attitudes/foreign affairs, immigration, internet and technology, legal, news media, politics and elections, and religion
MSU Data and Statistics Guide
Compiled by a Michigan State University librarian, this guide points to statistical resources for different topic areas (e.g., education or the arts). Note that some sources recommended in the guide are only available to the MSU community; others are free on the web.