Electronic databases have become important resources for researchers in many disciplines. While there is no single database designed to cover the field of communications, there are several databases which include material that is of interest to investigators in the field. An experiment was performed to determine which databases would be most useful to communications scholars. Topics representing the dominant paradigms of the discipline were searched on the 11 databases selected as most likely to provide strong coverage of the communications literature. Among the topics chosen were: audience behavior, communications theory, media content, the relationship between mass media and the state, and the economics of the communications industry. Information on those topics and the results obtained are compared. The most useful databases are described in terms of the types of communications research being reported in the literature. Lists of the most important databases for communications research and online vendors are included. Recommendations that reflect the diverse methodologies and research interests of those in the field have been provided. (THC)