ARTH 348 - British Portraiture: Find Background Information

A good research topic...

• Fits the assignment requirements
• Can be supported by research materials available at SCAD Libraries
• Is interesting to you - it's something you want to learn more about
• Has a unique angle or explores a key issue in the field

Can’t think of a topic to research? Get ideas from:

• Your class textbook(s) and required reading(s)
• Notes from class discussions and lectures
• Recommended books
• Images resources
• Up-to-date industry magazines and news sources - try Nexis Uni
• Online or printed encyclopedias
• Your instructor or a librarian

Before committing to a topic...

• Conduct a preliminary search to ensure sufficient research material exists on your topic
• Discuss the topic with your professor to ensure it is a good fit
• Contact a librarian to talk through how to research around the topic

Don't end your research here! Reference sources are too general to be used on their own. But, they are perfect for getting basic information and ideas for in-depth research.

When using a reference source, look for key terms, clues and leads such as:

• Important dates and time periods
• Notable places
• Subjects, characters, stories, symbols, etc.
• Artists, patrons and other people involved
• Info on style, form, function
• Related historical and social factors
• Prominent scholars and suggested articles and books (check bibliographies/references)

Write down these terms as you find them. You can keep a running list as you continue your research.

Be aware a person, place or idea may have more than one name! Remain alert for synonyms and alternative words.

Re-use these terms as keywords when searching the library catalog and databases.