AVT 494: Teaching Critical Responses to Art

Jenna RinalducciLiaison Librarian

jrinaldu@gmu.edu or 703-993-3720http://infoguides.gmu.edu/art

March 26, 2012

Library Resources

http://library.gmu.edu

• Library catalog: books, e-books, DVDs, CDs

• Washington Research Library Consortium

(WRLC)

• InfoGuides & Research Portals

• Research Databases

Guides Created Just for You!

• Art InfoGuide: http://infoguides.gmu.edu/art

• AVT 494 InfoGuide:

http://infoguides.gmu.edu/avt494

• Art Education Research Portal:

http://gmutant.gmu.edu/arted

Research Databases• Art Full Text• Art & Architecture Complete

• Art Bibliographies Modern• Design & Applied Arts Index (DAAI)• International Bibliography of Art• Bibliography History of Art (BHA)• Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals

More Databases• JSTOR• Humanities International Complete• Academic Search Complete

• ERIC• Education Research Complete• Education Full Text

• ARTstor• Art Museum Image Gallery• Oxford Art Online

The Research Process (Formally speaking)

• Define Your Topic (Identify main concepts; Narrow or broaden topic; List of search terms )

• Determine Your Information Needs (how current, specific publication type)

• Locate and Retrieve Relevant Information (search strategies)

• Access Information using Technology (catalog, databases, web)

• Evaluate Information (print & electronic)

• Use Information Ethically (cite sources)

The Research Process (More practically speaking)

1. Pick a topic

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Write the paper, project, etc.

2. Where to search (databases)

3. How to search (keywords)

4. How to get it (find the article)

5. Is what I’ve got any good?

Search Strategies: The Starbucks Syndrome

• Keyword:– Simplest search– Looks for records that match the words

typed but not ideas represented by the words

• Controlled Vocabulary (Subjects):– Uses subject headings for more refined results– Looks for book/article records that match your focus & then

check out the subjects attached– Terms are standardized– Often active links

• Keyword: Mary Cassatt VS Subject Heading: Cassatt, Mary, 1844-1926• Keyword: Shroud of Turin VS Subject Heading: Holy Shroud

Example:

John F. Kennedy, 1963Elaine de Kooning (1918-1989)Oil on canvas262.9 x 115.6 x 6.4cmNational Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Brainstorm• John F. Kennedy OR John Fitzgerald Kennedy OR Jack

Kennedy OR JFK

• Elaine de Kooning OR De Kooning, Elaine

• Women artists

• Oil on canvas OR Oil painting

• Presidential OR President or President of the United States

• Portrait OR Portraiture

• Nineteen sixties OR Sixties OR 1960s OR 196*

• Washington, D.C. OR Massachusetts

Example:

Juliette Gordon Low, 1887Edward HughesOil on canvas167 x 130.8 x 10.2cmNational Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Brainstorm• Juliette Gordon Low OR Low, Juliette Gordon

• Edward Hughes OR Hughes, Edward

• Oil on canvas OR Oil painting

• Girl Scouts OR Girl Scouts of the United States of America

• Portrait painting OR Portraiture

• William Mackay Low (who commissioned the painting)

• Nineteenth century

• Savannah, Georgia

Evaluate Your Sources

• Evaluate the sources you find!• Print AND Online• CRAAP Test:• Currency—Is the information out-of-date?

• Relevance—Is the information on topic?

• Authority—Who wrote the information?

• Accuracy—Is the information correct? • Purpose—What is the information intended to do?

Educate? Persuade? Entertain?

Questions?• Visual Arts Liaison: Jenna Rinalducci

– jrinaldu@gmu.edu

– 703-993-3720

• Stop by the Reference Desk

• Ask-a-Librarian: IM, Email, etc. (http://library.gmu.edu/ask)

• Call the reference desk or your liaison

• InfoGuides (http://infoguides.gmu.edu/art)

• Make a research appointment