When you search in the library catalog, an article database, or even in Google, you will have to formulate search terms, also known as keywords.
Keywords are the everyday words you use to describe your topic. If you are having trouble thinking of a variety of keywords, use an online thesaurus, like thesaurus.com to generate more keyword ideas.
You can also use encyclopedias and other reference resources to help learn more about a topic and to generate more keywords/search terms.
Use a simple search box to find information from over 500 online encyclopedias, biographies, dictionaries (including translation dictionaries) and more.
Online encyclopedia spanning many disciplines, including biographies. Includes a world atlas, country statistics, country comparison and timelines.
Search the collections at the Alfred R. Goldstein Library, including books, journals, DVDs, eBooks, video games, artist's books, and more!
Click here to see a list of periodicals related to Visual Studies.
Periodicals include magazines and journals. Current issues are shelved alphabetically on the first floor of the library. Lift the movable shelves for the unbound back issues of each title.
Annuals are publications that are printed only once a year. These Annuals are shelved alphabetically by title together with the Bound Periodicals in the section of green shelves on the 3rd Floor.
For a more comprehensive list of periodical holdings and their related majors, visit our Periodicals Research Guide for more detailed information.
You can find articles online through our various databases.
1. Navigate to our A-Z Databases page: http://ringling.libguides.com/az.php (or view select recommended databases below).
2. Click on the Subjects drop-down menu at the top left and select Visual Studies.
3. Read the descriptions of the recommended databases and select the ones that best match your research needs.
Tip: Be intentional about the databases you choose to use. Think about your research questions when you select a database to search. Are you looking for a specific genre of art? Images? peer-reviewed articles? Each database contains different types of information and they should be used for different needs.
Searchable backfiles of core journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. (Backfiles end 3 - 5 years prior to current date).
Full text and/or citations for magazine, newspaper, and journal articles in business, science, popular culture, as well as the performing and visual arts.
Art and Architecture Source covers fine arts, contemporary art, art history, architecture, costume design, advertising, interior design, crafts, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video and more.
It's OK to Use Google or Wikipedia for General Information
Google uses natural language searching, which means you can ask Google to look up pretty much anything and ask in any way and you will get a lot of results from your search.
It is a good place to go to look for general information about a subject you are interested in.
Wikipedia is good to use as an encyclopedia, for an overview of a general topic to gain background information. Use Wikipedia to become familiar with a topic or as a starting point for research and to find more search terms or keywords for your research topic. Don't cite Wikipedia articles in your bibliography for assignments or papers or treat information on Wikipedia as facts, especially when concerning legal or medical advice.
Use Google or Wikipedia to get an overview of your topic, so you will be able to decide what aspect of your topic of interest to focus on when researching (and writing) your paper.
Maintain a level of skepticism when reading Wikipedia articles or anything you come across via Google.
Once you've got your general picture, THEN it will be time to go to the Library Catalog to do serious research.
Adapted from WKU Libraries.
Boolean operators are words you use to link your search terms together when searching for resources.
Use them to increase or decrease the number of search results to find what you need
| Boolean Operator | Example | Reason to Use |
| AND | museums AND art | Searches for items that talk about both keywords together, and to DECREASE RESULTS. |
| OR | museums OR galleries | Searches for items that talk about either keyword individually, and to INCREASE RESULTS. |
| NOT | art NOT modern | To eliminate terms and keywords and to DECREASE RESULTS. |
| * (Truncation) | galler* | To broaden the search with other keywords that use the root word, i.e., gallery, galleries. |
Adapted from Montana State University.
Increase your results. If your search is of a narrowly focused nature as to return only a few results, eliminate one of the less-important concepts.
Reduce your results.
