LibGuides: UGS 302: Art, Criticism and Society / Stroud: Learn more about your topic

Using background information to develop your topic

Use these databases to:

gather keywords around your topic
- Who cares about my topic?
- What are people arguing about within my topic? What are the controversies?
- alternate terms and related keywords (social media, instagram, facebook are all related terms you can use to diversify your search)
Important events or stakeholders, key figures as well as places to learn more about (graffiti in NYC in the 1980s)
Bibliographies - best piece of advice I have - read bibliographies, references, works cited and use what you learn to uncover literature surrounding your topic.

Note: you may have an obscure topic. Use the resources at left for broader, but more difficult, searching.

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
encyclopedia articles - broad overviews.
Updated regularly. A database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources. Fully searchable across all files. A list of sources included in our subscription is available.
For more information on ebooks see the Ebook Guide
Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window
bibliographies and biographies for music artists of all genres and eras, as well as overviews of styles and movements and mediums.
An enhanced electronic version of the print Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource on all aspects of music. Includes regular online updates of the complete text of the print edition with links to thousands of images, digital sound files and other related web sites.
We have a limited number of users for this database. Please select the logout option before you leave your session. When the limit is reached, a username and password prompt will probably be displayed. If this happens, simply wait 15 minutes and then try the link again.
Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
Artists, art movements - biographies, overviews and bibliographies.
Updated daily. Provides Web access to the entire text of The Dictionary of Art (1996, 34 vols.) with annual additions of new material and updates to the text, plus extensive image links.
Covers the artistic traditions of the world's leading cultures, countries, cities, towns, and regions as well as important archaeological sites, monuments, and buildings. Includes over 45,000 signed articles on every aspect of the visual arts from prehistory through the present as well as over 40,000 web links to important art images in galleries and museums around the world. Both the fine arts (painting, sculpture, and architecture) and the decorative arts (ceramics, textiles, jewellery, interior design, furniture, glass, metalwork, and more) are included.
We have a limited number of users for this database. Please select the logout option before you leave your session. If you see a username and password prompt, simply wait 15 minutes and then try the link again.