The field of human communication studies (rhetoric, speech, mass communication, journalism, linguistics, etc.) is diverse, historical, and extremely dynamic and therefore impossible to index adequately in a set of static keywords. In addition, the resources available within CIOS/Comserve services expand daily. Though any set of keywords is unlikely to represent the discipline adequately, keywords are nevertheless valuable for helping newcomers orient to concepts that are or have been important in the professional literature.

The CIOS has therefore constructed a large initial set of keywords based on study of a variety of disciplinary sources. The set can be expanded easily to accommodate new terms. We expect to modify the keyword set often and invite scholars and other professionals to submit suggestions for additions and revisions. To correspond with the CIOS staff, send e-mail to: Support@cios.org

Some of the terms listed in the topical menus may not have referents within the CIOS/Comserve archives at the time you perform your search. However, because the CIOS/Comserve archives are continually expanding, a search for the same term at another time may prove fruitful.