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Reference Sources
NOTE: Encyclopedia and reference articles are a good place to explore and get an overview of your topic, but they cannot be used as sources in your paper.
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Oxford Art Online - Grove Art Online This link opens in a new window30,000 signed articles and images on visual arts, over 6,000 subject entries and 20,000 biographies, and 7,000 searchable images. This resource also includes the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics (2nd edition), The Oxford Companion to Western Art, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. (NVCC)
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Biography (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new windowBiographical information on over 380,000 people from throughout world history; from encyclopedias and news articles. (NVCC)
Search the Library Catalog
Article Databases
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Art & Architecture Source (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowCovers a broad range of related subjects from fine, decorative and commercial art, to various areas of architecture and architectural design. Includes Art & Architecture Complete. (NVCC)
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ProQuest - All Databases This link opens in a new windowApproximately 40 databases, including newspaper collections, ERIC, Ethnic NewsWatch, MEDLINE, EconLit, Plant Science, Biological Sciences, Congressional Publications, and Sociological Abstracts.
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ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times with Index (1851-2014) This link opens in a new windowProvides first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time with searchable full text, full page, and article-level images. (NVCC)
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ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Washington Post (1877-2001) This link opens in a new windowProvides first-hand accounts and unparalleled coverage of the politics, society and events of the time. (NVCC)
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JSTOR This link opens in a new windowScholarly journals; does not include the most recent few years. (NVCC)
Quick Tips for Database Searches
Search Tips:
- Select the fewest words possible to type into the search box -- just the ones most important to your topic.
- Put quotation marks around phrases
"street art"
- Put AND between each new word or idea. For example:
"street art" AND Basquiat
"street art" AND activism
Common problems:
- Unknown artist? Research the work's other characteristics like style, historical period, and materials used
- Nothing on your work of art? Look for articles about the artist, period, style materials, etc.
- Not finding much? Think creatively. Try approaching your topic from multiple angles. Change up your keywords, try other databases.
Images
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Artstor This link opens in a new windowArtstor features millions of high-quality images and media. All content is rights-cleared for education and research — you are free to use it in classroom instruction and handouts, presentations, student assignments, and other noncommercial educational and scholarly activities.
Artstor is now part of JSTOR. (NVCC) -
Britannica Image Quest This link opens in a new windowMore than two million rights-cleared images from over 50 of the best image collections in the world. (NVCC)