Course Guides
Databases
Scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles may be located by searching our subscription databases. Listed below are suggestions for starting your research. A complete list of our Digital Resources are available from the Databases link.
- Academic Search Premier [INFO]
- Humanities International Index (many full-text) [INFO]
- MLA International Bibliography (index only) [INFO]
- Communication & Mass Media Complete (many full-text)[INFO]
- Film Literature Index (index only)
Books and More
The Library catalog (LOLA) is a database of books and other print and non-print materials, such as videos/DVDs, music CDs, and scores. The catalog offers a variety of searches - Keyword, Subject, Author, Title, and Call Number. At the university level, it is essential to use books for nearly all research needs, since both historical and new developments may be found in books.When searching the Online Catalog, be sure to try both a KEYWORD and a SUBJECT search; they will provide different results. A few examples of standard LC SUBJECT heading searches related to film:
- Subject search for Motion picture acting
- Subject search for Motion picture actors & actresses
- Subject search for Motion picture producers and directors
- Subject search for Motion picture industry
- Subject search for Motion picture music
- Subject search for Motion picture plays
- Subject search for Motion pictures
- Subject search for Film adaptations
- Subject search for Film criticism
- Subject search for Animated films
- Subject search for Film noir
- Subject search for Science fiction films
- Subject search for Animated films
Reference Material
Reference sources are a good starting point for research - they provide background information on a topic, identify and explain key concepts, or cite critical research that has been done. Some key resources for film studies are listed below.
- Film and television : a guide to the reference literature
- Encyclopedia of early cinema
- Guide to British cinema
- Contemporary
North American film directors : a Wallflower critical guide - The encyclopedia of American independent filmmaking
- The new biographical dictionary of film
- The encyclopedia of filmmakers
- The film studies dictionary
- International dictionary of films and filmmakers
- The Oxford history of world cinema
- Film review annual
Additional titles may be located by seaching the Library catalog, by consulting with the Reference Librarian, or by browsing the PN1993-1999 section of the Reference Shelves.
Web Sites
In general, web sites are not the best choices for serious research because there is no guarantee the information being posted is authoritative, current, or sufficiently in-depth. Only use sites that you know are reputable, scholarly, current, and unbiased. The following are links to sites that seem to meet these criteria:Index of web sites related to Film, Movies, & Video:
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- Ask a Librarian
- Subject librarian: Lissa Zinfon
