UCC Library - History of Art HA3013 Effective Web Searching, Quality Control, Getting Started

Today Recap on Session last week – finish databases How to use the web more effectively e.g. advanced searching, Google Scholar, alternative search engines, gateways Quality control : critically appraising information sources Getting started with the literature search

Recap on Session last week – finish databases

How to use the web more effectively e.g. advanced searching, Google Scholar, alternative search engines, gateways

Quality control : critically appraising information sources

Getting started with the literature search

Searching the Web more Effectively 1 . Web: 160 million websites, 8.05 billion pages (approx.) Anyone can publish Google: uses ‘ Pagerank ’ ( Spider programmes locate sites based on word occurrence, proximity, location on page, links to the page, traffic etc. about 200 ‘ingredients’) Problem: finding relevant scholarly material Use: Google advanced search Use ‘Google Scholar’ and ‘Google Books’

Web: 160 million websites, 8.05 billion pages (approx.)

Anyone can publish

Google: uses ‘ Pagerank ’

( Spider programmes locate sites based on word occurrence, proximity, location on page, links to the page, traffic etc. about 200 ‘ingredients’)

Problem: finding relevant scholarly material

Use: Google advanced search

Use ‘Google Scholar’ and ‘Google Books’

Searching the Web more Effectively 2 . Try other search engines, e.g. Exalead , Ask.com , Yahoo , Bing Metasearch: e.g. Metacrawler , Clusty , Search.com , Dogpile Searching the ‘Deep Web’. e.g. Infomine , Complete Planet , Turbo10

Try other search engines, e.g. Exalead , Ask.com , Yahoo , Bing

Metasearch: e.g. Metacrawler , Clusty , Search.com , Dogpile

Searching the ‘Deep Web’. e.g. Infomine , Complete Planet , Turbo10

Searching the Web more Effectively 3. Recommended General Gateways & Portals BUBL , INTUTE , Europeana (N.B INTUTE’s Virtual Training Suite and subject booklets) HEART : E-resources Hub, E-image space (Dept. History of Art) Finding Images for Coursework & Research (Library website) Other History of Art Gateways E.G. Art-guide , Artsource , WWW Virtual Library , Art History Resources on the Web , Timeline of Art History N.B. Find more at: http://www.infotoday.com/SEARCHER/sep04/mattison.shtml

Recommended General Gateways & Portals

BUBL , INTUTE , Europeana

(N.B INTUTE’s Virtual Training Suite and subject booklets)

HEART : E-resources Hub, E-image space (Dept. History of Art)

Finding Images for Coursework & Research (Library website)

Other History of Art Gateways

E.G. Art-guide , Artsource , WWW Virtual Library , Art History Resources on the Web , Timeline of Art History

N.B. Find more at: http://www.infotoday.com/SEARCHER/sep04/mattison.shtml

Searching the Web more Effectively 3. When sourcing images on the web you should ALWAYS look for information on copyright and permitted uses. For further information see: Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 Creative Commons TASI Technical Advisory services for images AHDS promote good practice for the creation and use of visual arts digital resources

When sourcing images on the web you should ALWAYS look for information on copyright and permitted uses. For further information see:

Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000

Creative Commons

TASI Technical Advisory services for images

AHDS promote good practice for the creation and use of visual arts digital resources

Quality Control 1. Look for authority, currency, relevance, reliability, validity [for more click here ] Is it ‘scholarly’ enough? Scholarly resources aimed at those already within the field; disseminates research within that discipline. Scholarly methods used in order to make claims about the world that are valid and trustworthy. Popular resources aimed at a wider public/mass audience; entertain, inform, promote viewpoints, sell products and services.

Look for authority, currency, relevance, reliability, validity [for more click here ]

Is it ‘scholarly’ enough?

Scholarly resources aimed at those already within the field; disseminates research within that discipline. Scholarly methods used in order to make claims about the world that are valid and trustworthy.

Popular resources aimed at a wider public/mass audience; entertain, inform, promote viewpoints, sell products and services.

Quality Control 2. Checklist Who is it for? -intended audience: other researchers/scholarly community V general public Who is it by? -affiliated, qualified expert, academic credentials V journalist/other author/commentator How is it written? -language of particular field V for more general/mass consumption Why was it written? -contribute to field V news and entertainment, opinion What is the acceptance procedure? (n.b. journals) -peer reviewed/refereed? Where is it indexed?

Who is it for? -intended audience: other researchers/scholarly community V general public

Who is it by? -affiliated, qualified expert, academic credentials V journalist/other author/commentator

How is it written? -language of particular field V for more general/mass consumption

Why was it written? -contribute to field V news and entertainment, opinion

What is the acceptance procedure? (n.b. journals) -peer reviewed/refereed?

Where is it indexed?

Quality Control 3. Checklist Format and structure -scholarly structure includes abstracts and bibliographies/references (may include introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion and conclusions) Is the content objective? -editorial agenda/viewpoint -sponsors/bias -methodology (objective research to further understanding?) Who published it? -university press, professional org., established academic publisher Appearance and advertising -serious/sober V glossy appearance -advertising minimal/substantial; target audience

Format and structure -scholarly structure includes abstracts and bibliographies/references (may include introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion and conclusions)

Is the content objective? -editorial agenda/viewpoint -sponsors/bias -methodology (objective research to further understanding?)

Who published it? -university press, professional org., established academic publisher

Appearance and advertising -serious/sober V glossy appearance

-advertising minimal/substantial; target audience

Quality Control 4. Is the publication: factual, methodical, based on primary sources? OR subjective, journalistic, personal accounts/impressions, opinion? [N.B. Refer to ‘Learn how to…’ on the ‘ Study & Research Help ’ pages. Example: Holt, Y.(2003) “ British Artists and the Modernist Landscape (British Art and Visual Culture since 1750: new Readings)” . Aldershot: Ashgate.

Is the publication: factual, methodical, based on primary sources? OR subjective, journalistic, personal accounts/impressions, opinion?

[N.B. Refer to ‘Learn how to…’ on the ‘ Study & Research Help ’ pages.

Example:

Holt, Y.(2003) “ British Artists and the Modernist Landscape (British Art and Visual Culture since 1750: new Readings)” . Aldershot: Ashgate.

Quality Control 5. For websites in particular: use the 10-point checklist plus Always check the “last updated” date on the website Always check where the information is coming from. Look at the ‘ about’ or ‘who are we’ section of the site Is it clear who wrote the content and is that person contactable? Be critical – is the information on the website actually answering your research/assignment question Is there evidence of sponsorship ? Use Google Advanced Search to ‘find pages that link to the page’ [N.B. refer also to the ‘Learn How To.. Evaluate information for your assignments’ on Library website and the Internet Detective ]

For websites in particular: use the 10-point checklist plus

Always check the “last updated” date on the website

Always check where the information is coming from. Look at the ‘ about’ or ‘who are we’ section of the site

Is it clear who wrote the content and is that person contactable?

Be critical – is the information on the website actually answering your research/assignment question

Is there evidence of sponsorship ?

Use Google Advanced Search to ‘find pages that link to the page’

[N.B. refer also to the ‘Learn How To.. Evaluate information for your assignments’ on Library website and the Internet Detective ]

Wikipedia Good for: Background info Keywords, synonyms Links & references to related material Don’t cite it in assignments See: Researching with Wikipedia Tutorial on Youtube: Wikipedia a guide for students

Good for:

Background info

Keywords, synonyms

Links & references to related material

Don’t cite it in assignments

See: Researching with Wikipedia

Tutorial on Youtube: Wikipedia a guide for students

Literature/Information Search Literature review: a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic Why search the literature? - To find other relevant work - To find gaps in existing knowledge - To prevent duplication - To avoid pitfalls - To design you research methodology/approach

Literature review: a body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic

Why search the literature?

- To find other relevant work

- To find gaps in existing knowledge

- To prevent duplication

- To avoid pitfalls

- To design you research methodology/approach

Information Sources 1. Primary: original material on which other research is based e.g. original artwork, poem, film, journal article with original research Secondary: describes, interprets, analyses, evaluates primary source material e.g. treatise on, review/critique of artist, poetry, film, review of research in a particular area of study Study of an aspect of 2 nd WW: use of art, books, newspapers, film, poetry of the time + Review of/ comments/research of other historians and researchers

Primary: original material on which other research is based

e.g. original artwork, poem, film, journal article with original research

Secondary: describes, interprets, analyses, evaluates primary source material

e.g. treatise on, review/critique of artist, poetry, film, review of research in a particular area of study

Study of an aspect of 2 nd WW: use of art, books, newspapers, film, poetry of the time + Review of/ comments/research of other historians and researchers

Information Sources 2. Formats Books: textbooks, monographs, reference books, anthologies and edited works, original primary source material (catalogues, databases) Articles: peer-reviewed, popular, trade, newspapers (databases) Original work : art/image (also literature, film, music etc.) Conference proceedings : published & unpublished Theses Other web material: website, blog, podcast Also: Officia l publications and legal documents: statistics, standards, patents/trademarks, government, legislation, case-law Reports : research reports funded & otherwise, archival material

Books: textbooks, monographs, reference books, anthologies and edited works, original primary source material (catalogues, databases)

Articles: peer-reviewed, popular, trade, newspapers (databases)

Original work : art/image (also literature, film, music etc.)

Conference proceedings : published & unpublished

Theses

Other web material: website, blog, podcast

Also:

Officia l publications and legal documents: statistics, standards, patents/trademarks, government, legislation, case-law

Reports : research reports funded & otherwise, archival material

What are you trying to find? - history of a topic, - concepts/theories relating to it (intellectual context), - relevant hypotheses, - methodologies, - names of key researchers, - seminal publications, - important themes and debates In general to find gaps and problems that require research Getting Started 1.

What are you trying to find?

- history of a topic,

- concepts/theories relating to it (intellectual context),

- relevant hypotheses,

- methodologies,

- names of key researchers,

- seminal publications,

- important themes and debates

In general to find gaps and problems that require research

First Steps: Step 1. Familiarise yourself with the information environment Step 2. Settle on a rough idea for subject-matter/research problem Step 3. Discover the key words/terms relating to it. Use the literature search profile. E.g. ‘Art and patronage in Renaissance Italy’ Step 4. Search catalogues, databases, indexes Step 5. Search the web Getting Started 2.

First Steps:

Step 1. Familiarise yourself with the information environment

Step 2. Settle on a rough idea for subject-matter/research problem

Step 3. Discover the key words/terms relating to it. Use the literature search profile. E.g. ‘Art and patronage in Renaissance Italy’

Step 4. Search catalogues, databases, indexes

Step 5. Search the web

Getting Started 3. Example: ‘ Art and patronage in Renaissance Italy’ Keywords: art, painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, craft, patronage, patron, sponsor, sponsorship, commission, renaissance, etc. Limits: year=1300-1599, country=Italy Combine with search strings using Boolean operators and limits

Getting Started 4. Initial review of literature Further formulation of research problem More focussed search of literature Proposal approved Further review Refine research problem

Initial review of literature

Further formulation of research problem

More focussed search of literature

Proposal approved

Further review

Refine research problem

Initial reviews to identify broad problem area. Identify potential research problem, theoretical background and potential research methodologies Once approved, further search of the literature to refine research problem and methodologies ‘ Trawling’ and ‘Mining’ Getting Started 5.

Initial reviews to identify broad problem area. Identify potential research problem, theoretical background and potential research methodologies

Once approved, further search of the literature to refine research problem and methodologies

‘ Trawling’ and ‘Mining’

Getting Started 6. Literature search is the foundation for entire project Research problem Literature review Methodologies Results Discussion Conclusion N.B. From the beginning, keep a file of 1. all references to material that you intend to read, based on your searches of the literature 2. all references to material you have referred to in your writing (in order to form a bibliography)

Literature search is the foundation for entire project

Research problem

Literature review

Methodologies

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

N.B. From the beginning, keep a file of 1. all references to material that you intend to read, based on your searches of the literature 2. all references to material you have referred to in your writing (in order to form a bibliography)

Literature Search Profile Topic: __________________________________________________________ Limits: Dates: Language: Country: Exclude: __________________________________________________________ Keywords: __________________________________________________________ Notes:

Topic:

__________________________________________________________

Limits:

Dates:

Language:

Country:

Exclude:

__________________________________________________________

Keywords:

__________________________________________________________

Notes: