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Welcome to the library research guide for ART 460 - Renaissance and Baroque Art HistoryThis guide includes links to databases and other relevant information.
Bernini, Gian Lorenzo. The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. 1647-1652. Santa Maria della Vittoria Church, Rome, Italy. https://www.walksinrome.com/blog/the-ecstasy-of-st-teresa-by-gian-lorenzo-bernini-santa-maria-della-vittoria-rome. Accessed 12 October 2023
When searching the library research databases or OneSearch, it's good to have a strategy. Unlike Google or Internet search engines, the databases and OneSearch can't interpret natural language or strings of unconnected words. You should identify the key concepts in your thesis or research question and then brainstorm for a few alternative terms and synonyms that go along with them. Then you can connect and combine those terms in different ways using Boolean (see video in box below).
For example, what if you were researching the topic:
Leonardo and art theory
The key concepts are obviously the words I underlined:
| Leonardo | art theory |
It's good to have a few synonyms and related terms for your key concepts. They may also be helpful in your search!
| Leonardo: | art theory: |
| Da Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci. | aesthetics, art history, art, etc. |
Now I can develop either a basic search statement:
Leonardo da Vinci AND art theory
Or a more advanced search statement with some flexibility:
"Leonardo da Vinci" AND ("art theory" OR aesthetics)
Find out why I combined terms with AND and OR in the video below (capitalization and bold type just for emphasis)!
This video from the University of Auckland Libraries in Australia explains Boolean operators very well, and shows how they work in library catalogs, databases, and even Advanced Google.