ART 101 & 106 - Prof. Leonard

The research process for art history is the reverse of the process for most other subject areas. Usually, you start with a broad topic and gradually narrow it down to a more specific topic. In this case, you're starting with a specific topic, i.e., a work of art, and gradually expanding it to one or more broader topics.  

Start by searching Grove Art Online. There is a link to the database below. If you're off campus, log in with your MyNOVA username and password. In the search field, enter the name of the person who created the object that you're researching or the name of the object itself. Click on the result that most closely matches your object. This takes you to the entry, which gives you helpful formation about the object. Near the top left corner of each article is a series of tools, including a PDF tool, a citation tool, and an email tool. Use these to save the article and/or it's citation. 

Next, search JSTOR. There is a link to the database below. If you're off campus, log in with your MyNOVA username and password. Go to the advanced search page by clicking on the Advanced Search link under the search field. enter the name of the person who created the object that you're researching or the name of the object itself. You should get a list of results. Now you can apply some filters. On the left side of the results page, under the heading Academic Content, click to select Journals, since you're looking for journal articles. Further down, under the heading Access Type, click on Content I can access. If you find an article that you're interested in, you can click on the title to go to the record for that article. You'll be able to view the article, download the article as a PDF (click on Download PDF), get the citation of the article (click on Cite this item), and get the permalink to the article (copy the URL under Remote Access URL).   

Next, search the EBSCOhost and ProQuest platforms. There is a link to each one below. If you're off campus, log in with your MyNOVA username and password. Use the same process described in the previous paragraphs. 

If you're not finding enough articles, or the ones that you're finding are not what you're looking for, broaden your search. Try searching for information about artwork done in a style, during the same time period, or in the same geographic location. Continue to broaden your search until you find an article that meets your needs. 

Some of the works will be easier to research than others. If you have trouble finding an article or using a database, get help by using one of the methods listed in the Find Help section below. 

1. Grove Art Online

1. • • This is the online version of the The Grove Dictionary of Art, which consists of 34 volumes. It contains definitions of terms used in art history and background information on major topics in art history. For detailed information about the database, including videos on how to use it, see the Grove Art Online page in this Guide. 

1. JSTOR

• This is a great place to search for academic journal articles on a topic in art history. 

• For more information about the database, including videos on how to use it, see the JSTOR page in this Guide. 

1. EBSCOhost - All Databases

1. • • This lets you search all of the databases on the EBSCOhost platform at the same time. 

     • For more information about the platform, including videos on how to use it, see the EBSCOhost page in this Guide.

2. ProQuest - All Databases

   • • This lets you search all of the databases on the ProQuest platform at the same time.   

     • For more information about the platform, including videos on how to use it, see the ProQuest page in this Guide.

1. Artstor 

1. • • This database contains images of art works provided by reliable sources. Many of the images are high resolution so that you can zoom in to see fine details. 

     • You can get the citation for an art work by clicking on the Cite this Item button next to the image. 

     • For more information about using Artstore, see the Getting Started Guide. 

The library catalog and virtually all library databases provide citations for the items that they contain. Sometime, these citations have formatting and/or content errors, so you should check the accuracy of the citations using a reliable source. Your textbook discusses how to format citations in various styles. Here are two websites that do the same:

1. Purdue Online Writing Lab

   • • On the left side of the page, under the heading Suggested Resources, is a list of links to guides in several styles. Click on the style that you’re using.  

2. Excelsior Online Writing Lab

   • • On the Citation & Documentation page, there are links to information about MLA, APA, and Chicago. 

Searching library databases is not as easy as searching the Web. You might have questions or run into problems while searching. Please ask for help! That's why I and the other NOVA Librarians are here. You can use any of these options:

1. Send me a message by filling out a brief form. I usually respond within one business day (during business hours).

2. Chat with a librarian (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

3. Schedule an appointment with a NOVA librarian (in-person or via Zoom)

4. Visit, call, or send an email to a NOVA campus library

5. Watch video tutorials created by NOVA Libraries.