Getting Started
You can search within databases for scholarly journal articles on topics related to photography, films, and more. Scholarly journal articles are usually written by experts in a field or discipline to share well researched, authoritative information and interpretation on a particular, often very specific, topic. The articles often undergo peer review, a process where they are evaluated by other scholars in the field before these articles can be published. The articles are assessed for their originality, the strength of their contributions to scholarly conversations, and for the thoroughness of the author’s research. You may also find magazine articles in databases; these articles may be written by a scholar, practitioner, journalist, etc. Note that for all information formats, you should be a critical reader and evaluate for author bias, as well as your own bias as a reader.
Key Databases
- Art, Design, and Architecture Collection (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowScholarly and trade articles, books, and conference proceedings in the fields of visual and applied arts.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowArchive of scholarly articles and book chapters in the humanities, social sciences, and other disciplines
- Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowA multidisciplinary database useful for researching a broad range of topics. Includes newspaper, magazine, and academic peer-reviewed articles.
- Communications & Mass Media Complete (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowScholarly articles covering communication, mass media, rhetoric, and other closely related fields. Useful for the business or media aspects of photography and film.
- Business Source Ultimate (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowArticles from academic journals, magazines and trade publications covering a range of business topics. Useful for researching the business aspects of photography, film, art, and more.
- Humanities International Complete (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowScholarly and magazine articles covering all aspects of the humanities.
Journals and Magazines
- ApertureThe magazine of Aperture, a foundation created in 1952 by photographers and writers as “common ground for the advancement of photography.” Issues from the last few years are organized around a theme.
- History of PhotographyFounded in 1977, History of Photography is an international quarterly journal devoted to the history, practice and theory of photography in all its definitions - artistic, scientific, commercial, and domestic; in archives, art galleries, and museums; on the page, on the wall, or on the screen.
- Photography & culturePhotography & Culture is a journal that is international in its scope and interdisciplinary in its contributions. It aims to interrogate the contextual and historic breadth of photographic practice from a range of informed perspectives and to encourage new insights into the media.
- Artforum InternationalArtforum is an international monthly magazine specializing in contemporary art.
Want to browse journals by subject area? Review this tutorial for suggestions on how to browse journals in the following resources:
- BrowZine Web Edition This link opens in a new windowBrowZine is software that allows you to browse, read, and monitor many of the librarys scholarly journals in a format optimized for your iOS or Android device.
Want to learn more about a particular journal or magazine, such as how often it is published, when it started, and if it is peer-reviewed? Search Ulrichs web by the journal or magazine title for a publication's profile:
- Ulrichs Web This link opens in a new windowLists all journals, print and electronic, with publisher information, subscription prices, subject descriptions, web locations, and much more.
- Tutorial: This video tutorial shows how to use Ulrich's to find out if a journal is peer-reviewed. (or see the PDF/slide version)
Scholarly vs. non-scholarly sources
- Scholarly vs. Non-Scholarly Sources (PDF slides)A PowerPoint version of these slides is also available.
- Scholarly vs. non-scholarly sources (comparison chart)A Word version of this chart is also available.