Librarian
Step 3: Narrowing the Topic
Based on your findings in books and reference sources, you'll want to narrow down your topic so that you can focus on a few main points. A few ways to do this are:
-Look at the terms used by authors of general works
-Look for the main concepts or issues mentioned in general sources
-Look at citations in general sources (the bibliography at the end of a reference article) or for mentions of experts in the field
Step 4: Finding Articles
This video shows how to find articles through the libraries' databases. To enlarge the video, click on the bottom right corner of the player.
Try Different Databases
Don't just search in one or two databases. Depending on your topic, you might find information in dozens of different databases. Some of the most helpful for art and design topics are:
- ARTbibliographies Modern This link opens in a new windowThis database is a specialist bibliography for the study of modern and contemporary art. It covers all art forms, including fine art, digital art, crafts, design and photography. It features full abstracts and indexing of journal articles, books, essays, exhibition catalogs, dissertations and exhibition reviews published from the late 1960s onwards. It also incorporates book records, including those drawn from the collections of the Tate Library and the Bibliothèque Dominique Bozo, Musée LAM.
- Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new windowA comprehensive guide to the current literature of architecture and design, covering 2,500+ international journals and periodical literature.
- Building Green This link opens in a new windowThis resource offers healthy and sustainable design and construction strategies for architects, designers and other sustainability professionals.
- DAAI: Design and Applied Arts Index This link opens in a new windowIndexes over 500 journals that cover industrial design, interior design, fashion, graphic design, typography, packaging, etc., since 1973. Supplementary databases provide contact information for craft & design organizations, special collections of design & craft, design & craft education programs, and periodicals. Online help is available. Coverage is worldwide.
- General OneFile This link opens in a new windowA general interest periodical resource with a wide range of topics, including education, humanities, law, social science, technology, and more. It has 12,000+ full-text titles of The New York Times from 1985 to present.
Magazine or Journal?
You may be required to find scholarly journals for your assignment. Popular magazines are very different from scholarly journals and although they can often be found in the same places, they are not the same type of source.
Popular magazines often
-have lots of pictures
-have content that appeals to a wide range of readers
-are written in light, informal language
Scholarly journals often
-are primarily text
-are written for specialists and researchers
-are written in formal, academic language
-include lots of references in the works cited