LibGuides: IART-101: Artists We Love (Pappas): Brainstorm

Keywords Brainstorm Worksheet

Use the keywords brainstorm worksheet to record notes as you skim general sources about your artist and to narrow down your topic by developing a list of specific keywords.

Download the Keywords Brainstorm Worksheet below.

Keywords Brainstorm Worksheet
Record your findings related to "Art" and "Circumstance" as you do preliminary research on Google and Wikipedia. Then use your notes to generate a list of keywords, or main ideas, which you record at the bottom of the worksheet.

Example Keywords Brainstorm Worksheet

Below is an example keyword brainstorm for my artistic influence, Dolly Parton. Use this example as a model to fill out your own worksheet.

Conduct Preliminary Research

Begin your research process with freely available sites like Google and Wikipedia.
- Start by just searching your artist's name.
- Add additional search terms (like "influences" or "inspiration") if you're not finding relevant information in your search results about what influenced their art.
As you skim your search results, narrow down your topic to a few key areas of artistic influence that you are most interested in. This will help shape the focus of your project.
Record your findings on the Keywords Brainstorm worksheet in two columns: "Art" and "Circumstance."
- "Art" includes the names of fellow artists/people who influenced your artist; artistic works that influenced them; and traditions/artistic movements they were a part of or inspired by.
- "Circumstance" refers to history, culture, and identity. What historical events; cultural, social, or political movements; personal experiences; and/or identities shaped your artist and their work?
Finally, develop more specific keywords related to those areas.

General Websites

Wikipedia
Use for general overviews and potential lists of useful resources and links. The entries often cite reputable resources such as books in our library, or .gov or .edu online resources.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
Library of Congress Biographies
Short biographies compiled by the Library of Congress.
Internet Archive: Cultural & Academic Films
"Features collections from the Academic Film Archive and the Media Burn Independent Film Archive, as well as a selection of documentaries created by Dorothy Fadiman. In addition, films from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology are presented including those by Watson Kintner who used film to document his world travels, and the popular television show from the 1950s: “What in the World?”--site.
Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
An online database of information related to movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, video games, and most recently, fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media.

Basic information is searchable from any web browser. More in depth information is available on their paid subscription site, IMDB Pro.

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While IMDb has come to be recognized as the world's most comprehensive source of film data, many non-contributing users are unaware of the means by which information is added to the database. IMDb essentially accepts data submissions from any individual who acquires a login and submits information using the site's submission pages.

This information is then reviewed by an IMDb data manager, who decides whether or not 1.) to post the information on the website; 2.) to send the submitting party an email requesting further documentation or clarification; or 3.) to ignore or set the submission aside indefinitely.

Reference Sources

Biography Reference Source
Biography Reference Source provides thousands of unique and reliable full-text biographies, including the complete full text of Biography and Biography Today. In addition to keyword search, users can locate biographies by subject occupation, activity, nationality, gender, birthplace and more.
Biography Reference Bank

This biographical database offers in-depth profiles from Current Biography and World Authors, the periodical coverage of Biography Index and specialist content of Junior Authors & Illustrators. It provides full-text articles, images and abstracts from today’s leading magazines and journals. Contains nearly 1 million biographical records, as well as related essays and images.
Oxford Reference
Main search page for our subscribed Oxford online reference works. Can search and browse within 44 unique reference resources.
Oxford Music Online

Oxford Music Online is the gateway to Grove Music Online, with additional access to search The Oxford Dictionary of Music and The Oxford Companion to Music. This resource for music research charts the diverse history and cultures of music from around the globe.

Explore all Reference Databases
Databases A-Z filtered to Encyclopedias & Dictionaries type