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Film Research: The Basics

Film Research: The Basics. Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 3-8666. Film Research: The Basics. Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 3-8666. The point of all this. Describes organization of library information Point out some unique aspects of film as a research topic

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Film Research: The Basics

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  1. Film Research: The Basics Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 3-8666

  2. Film Research: The Basics Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 3-8666

  3. The point of all this... • Describes organization of library information • Point out some unique aspects of film as a research topic • Discuss how to select article databases (and determine what’s in them) • Discuss how to develop search strategies • Introduce a group of basic moves and features common to many online catalogs and indexes. • Practice using these features in selected databases

  4. The Information Universe What Does It Contain?

  5. The Information Universe • Books • Journals (Magazines) & Newspapers • Government docs • Maps • Media (video, sound recording, etc.) • Computer files (e.g. CD-ROMS, data files) • Dissertations • Manuscripts • & THE WEB… The guy next to me is soooo hot!

  6. Not all books or journals are created equal Why/when books? Why/when journals The Information Universe

  7. Writing About Film… Scholarly/ In-depth Current Pop and fan Historical Industry

  8. --Short, fairly superficial. Current, mainstream releases. ---Found mostly in popular periodicals, film periodicals Reviews --Broader historical, cultural, political, artistic context and/or --Focus on a specific aspect of a film, film genre, or filmmaker --Longer, more substantive --Found in books and scholarly or film-related journals Critical Analysis

  9. …But how do you locate this stuff? Robert DeNiro Taxi Driver

  10. Reviews Critical/ScholarlyArticles Greene, Naomi "Coppola, Cimino: The Operatics of History." Film Quarterly XXXVIII/2, Winter 84-85; p.28-37 Arthur, P. “Godfather II." (motion picture review) Film Comment, v 11 (Mar.-April, 1975), p. 2 • Journal Articles and Reviews

  11. The Information Universe Library Catalog(s) Journal/Newspaper Indexes (article databases)

  12. Pathfinder: UCB Library holdings only • MELVYL (CDL cat): All 9 UC Campuses Library Catalog(s) • An inventory of what the library owns • Search by Author, Title, Subject • Whole books and print and electronic journals, NOT what’s inside of those publications

  13. The Information Universe: Books Call # Get da Book in da Stax Look it Up in Pathfinder or MELVYL by Author, Title, or Subject: Doherty, Thomas Patrick. Teenagers and teenpics: the juvenilization of American movies in the 1950s Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 2002. UCB Main PN1993.5.U6 D53 2002

  14. The Information Universe: Finding Articles • Article Databases (Indexes/Abstracts) • Allow subject/author searching in a group of journals in a particular discipline or topical area. • Produced by different commercial publishers; often look/act differently from one another. • Some indexes also offer: • Abstracts • Full-Text • UC e-Links

  15. full text! links to UCB holdings All databases are not created equal (or by the same company)…

  16. Choosing an Articles database (index) • Look at the listings of article databases available via the library www.lib.berkeley.edu: includes listings by SUBJECT, NAME, etc. • General Databases are often good places to start (particularly for newsy/topical issues) • Listings of subject-specific electronic resources

  17. Where and How to Look?

  18. GH Desert Island Index/Article Database List No Now Playing

  19. GH Desert Island Index/Article Database List • MLA Bibliography • Expanded Academic Index • FIAF Index No Now Playing

  20. The Information Universe (Now) Online is Cool • But Remember: Not everything is online!!!!!: • Article Databases: Generally only go back 10-20 yrs online (some exceptions – e.g. Historical Newspapers) • Not every publication is indexed • Fairly small (but rapidly growing) subset of the books and journal universe is currently available in full-text

  21. The Information Universe • Remember Also: • Not every topic has lots written about it, either in books or journal lit. • --Research on very current topics • --Research on radically specific topics • --Research on topics off the beaten academic track or off the pop culture radar

  22. How to Begin? Before you click: THINK • Formulate a concise, concrete statement of the research problem • Formulate your search in terms of • keywords and key phrases: The impact of televisionadvertising and television violence on school performanceandpre-adolesecentsocial interaction.

  23. Commercials Ads …etc. Children Youth Adolescents …etc. Academic achievement Grades …etc. Socialization, relationships, peer interaction…etc. Media TV…etc How to Begin? Before you click: THINK • Think of synonyms for key words/phrases The impact of televisionadvertising and television violence on school performanceandpre-adolesecentsocial interaction.

  24. The Information Universe • What to do if nothing is turning up: • Tweak your topic: Broaden it / select a different angle • Rethink your search strategy (new keywords, new concepts, etc.) • Bail out completely and choose another topic

  25. A few cautionary words about research on the Net The Net Google Rocks! LibraryLand

  26. Common Search Features: • Basic and Advanced Search Screens • Trunction: “wild card” that allows you to scoop up broader results:*# or ? Depending on db • --e.g.: Advertis* will give you: • advertise, • advertising, • advertisers, • advertisements • Search by keyword or by phrase • Search specific fields (e.g., SUBJECT, TITLE) • Use of AND, OR, NOT • <Bob Dylan and Robbie Robertson> • < Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen> • < Bob Dylan not Bruce Springsteen >

  27. Common Search Features: --Save list of good stuff --Mail Articles/Citations to yourself

  28. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/ • FilmBibMenu.html • a growing listing of bibliographies on various film topics and individual films compiled by MRC (includes bibs for genres, filmmakers, national cinemas, and individual film).

  29. Connecting from off-campus PROXY Server!

  30. …being driven over the edge by your research? Call me: Gary Handman 643-8566 ghandman@library.berkeley.edu

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