Guide to Film Criticism
From ResearchWiki
[edit] Finding Articles
To find articles on specific authors and their works, use the DATABASES (available from Library web page via English/Literature Resources, Film Resources or Databases by Title)
Film Criticism:
- MLA Bibliography References to sources on literature, language and film. (1963-pres.)
- Project Muse Full-text journals in literature, performing arts and other topics.
- JSTOR back issues of journals; some film coverage in film and literature journals.
- Academic Search Premier general database that covers a variety of topics including film reviews, mostly for contemporary films
- Expanded Academic Index another general database with some film coverage
Film Reviews:
- New York Times (1999-present) good for contemporary film reviews. Use more search options to limit to citations and abstracts, reviews or specific dates.
- New York Times (1851-1998) for reviews of works published during this time period. Use more search options to limit to citations and abstracts, reviews or specific dates.
- Reader's Guide Retrospective (1890-1982) limit to date book was published
Searching the Databases:
- Formulate a thesis question on which your research will be centered
- Search a relevant database using keywords or search by subject when appropriate.
- Use AND to find citations containing both keywords: e.g., (symbolism AND Faulkner)
- Use OR for related terms to search for citations that contain one term OR the other. e.g., (women or feminine)
- Always put OR phrases in the same search box and enclose with parentheses
- Use truncation (often the asterisk*) to retrieve similar words with different endings, e.g., spirit* will retrieve, spirits, spiritual, spirituality, etc.
Finding Full-Text: Often the databases will provide citations but not the full-text on an article. When you have a citation and need to find the full-text, try the following steps:
- Use ArticleLinker. This link is available in the database to help you find a journal article in another database, in the library catalog, or request it from another library. If ArticleLinker is not available:
- Search Electronic journals to see if a journal is full-text online (search by title of the journal NOT title of the article).
- Search the Library Catalog (SHARC) to see if a journal is located in our library.
- Request an article or book from interlibrary loan (ILL) if not full-text online or in the library. (use the Request forms on the library's home page)
[edit] Finding Books
- SHARC: library catalog which has references to books by and about authors.
- The library catalog is shared by 4 other libraries. Use the request button at the top of the page to request a book from one of these other libraries (24-48 hour turn around).
- If you can't find a book in the library catalog, you can request it through ILL.
Reference Books (located on the first floor of the library)
- The Complete Film Dictionary. PN1993.45.K66 1989
- Film Encyclopedia. PN1993.45.K34 1998
- Film Review Annual. PN1995.F465 1981-Present
- Film directors: a guide to their American films. PN1998 .P24
- The International Encyclopedia of Film. . PN1993.45 .I5 1972
- Magill's Survey of Cinema: Foreign Language Films PN1993.45 M34
- Magill's cinema annual. PN1993.45 .M33
- The New York Times Film Reviews PN1995 .N4
- Variety Film Reviews. PN1995.V34 1907-Present
