Positive Approaches Journal, Volume 9, Issue 2

Data is an important tool used in research studies, generally. Specific to this journal issue, data can be useful to understand communication issues and identify new solutions and supports for communication. Research studies are usually published in peer-reviewed journals that may require a fee to view the full text of research articles. New tools, like Google Scholar, link to full text versions of research articles that are free and let you easily search options to find articles that are interesting or useful and accessible to you. One important way to determine how valuable a research article has been to increasing the understanding of communication needs and experiences is how often it has been cited. Research articles are cited, or used as references, when they contribute new information that has not been described previously or use innovative methods to understand an issue like communication. This issue's Data Discoveries is a Tableau dashboard displaying research articles about communication that have been cited frequently and links to Google Trends to see news and other new information about communication from across Google searches.

Research articles that you access through Google Scholar usually have corresponding author. You can email a corresponding author, or any author on a research article, if you have questions about the research. It also might be helpful to Bookmark Google Scholar or Google Trends in your Internet browser so you can use them easily in the future. The ASERT Collaborative has several resources about communication, including a description of the spectrum of communication, information about how communication works both ways, and a guide to wearing a mask and navigating communication during COVID-19. The US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy also has resources about communicating with and about people with disabilities.