Research TutorialProfessor Melissa HallFall 2013
Course Objectives
• Conduct research on a contemporary artist, and situate their work in the context of post-1945 art practices
Research Sources
• Internet• Books• Periodicals
Search Engines
• Search engines are used to locate information on the internet
Keyword Search
• Begin your search by choosing a “keyword”
Keyword: Jackson Pollock
Search term is too broad
• Narrow your search by using more specific keyword terms
Jackson Pollock and Existentialism
Jackson Pollock and Action Painting
Jackson Pollock and Harold Rosenberg
Jackson Pollock and Clement Greenberg
Limit your search to images using Google’s image feature
Click on Search Tools and select “Large” for high resolution images
Evaluating Web Resources
• Much of the information available on the internet is not reliable
• You must therefore evaluate your resources to determine their validity
Criteria
WCC Librarians recommend 5 simple criteria:
1. Authority
2. Accuracy
3. Coverage
4. Objectivity
5. Currency
Authority
Authority:
• Is the author or sponsor a reliable source?
Authority
• Since anybody can post on the internet you must be sure that your source is credible
Authority
• This is why Wikipedia is not considered a reliable resource
Authority
• But Wikipedia can be a great jumping off point!
Authority
• But Wikipedia can be a great jumping off point!
Authority
• Wikipedia is an Encyclopedia
• It is a research “tool” not a research “source”
Authority
• Look for sites sponsored by recognized institutions and experts in the field
Authority
• Beware of sites that appear to be authored by experts
Authority
• The authors are not always experts on the topic
Authority
• Art Story contributors all have MAs -- not PhDs!
Authority
• Domain names can help you identify credible sources at a glance
Authority
• Museums and libraries are identified by the “.org” tag in their URL
Authority
• Museum sites are an excellent source of “vetted” information
Authority
• Artcyclopedia provides links to museum object pages
Authority
• Artcyclopedia provides links to museum object pages
Authority
• Also links to articles and multimedia
Authority
• Commercial sites are identified by the “.com” domain name: http://www.jacksonpollock.com/
• Beware of .com sites!
Authority
• If the site is trying to sell you something, it can not be considered “reliable”
Authority
• Be wary of distracting advertising!
Authority
• Be wary of blogs!
Coverage
• Coverage refers to the quality and depth of content
• If the site repeats the familiar old clichés about Jackson Pollock, it is not worth using!
Accuracy
• Are there mistakes in facts, spelling, or the use of vocabulary?
Objectivity
• Is the information presented objectively, or does it promote an opinion or point of view?
Objectivity
• Much art criticism is opinion, rather than scholarly research
Currency
• Currency refers to whether information is current or up to date
• Greenberg and Rosenberg are “historical artifacts,” not current “authorities
Citation Format
• Citing internet sources is a pain in the neck -- but everybody has to do it!
• Otherwise, you will be guilty of plagiarism!
Citation Format
Required information includes: Author or agency Title of article Site name or original source Date created and publisher Date of access URL
Citation Format
Required information includes: Author or agency Title of article Site name or original source Date created and publisher Date of access URL
Melissa Hall, “Jackson Pollock,” Art Since 1945, Westchester Community College (October 7, 2013)http://medumpa.wordpress.com/lectures/week-3/jackson-pollock-1912-1956/
Citation Format
• There are now “citation machines” available on the web that will do the formatting for you
http://citationmachine.net/
Citation Format
• If you can’t find the information you need then you might want to question the reliability of your site
http://citationmachine.net/
Citation Format
• Many museum sites now offer information about how to cite their pages
Books
Periodicals
• Know the difference between popular magazines and scholarly journals
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/peabody/tutorial_files/scholarlyfree/index.html
Periodicals
• Scholarly = peer reviewed
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/peabody/tutorial_files/scholarlyfree/index.html
Periodicals
• Magazine = glossy pictures and advertisements
• General audience• Exhibition reviews• News on market trends and
conservation
Periodicals
• Scholarly journals – no advertising; longer articles; more “serious” appearance
Periodicals
• Lots of footnotes!
Use library database to locateperiodicals
Modify search
Summary
WTF???!!!If you can’t understand the abstract, skip it
Page Scan
Journals to Look forArt Bulletin
Art Journal
Art in America
Art History
Oxford Art Journal
Journals to AvoidOctober
Journals to AvoidArt News
Can be GoodNew Yorker
New York Times
Artnet
Art CriticsRoberta Smith
Michael Kimmelman
Holland Carter
Michael Brenson
Jerry Saltz
Peter Schjeldahl
Deborah Solomon
LinksCheck out links on course website
(mostly criticism; reviews)
HelpThe library provides abundant resources
Tutorials
Tutorials
Help
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