MIDDLESEX COUNTY COLLEGE LIBRARY

Before starting: Keep yourself on track by using the Assignment Calculator at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Use iBistro to find out if MCC Library has the movie. (Search by Title of the movie – you may also find books about the movie).
Can’t find it here?
Check other iBistro libraries or WorldCat. The Library can try and get a copy for you through Interlibrary Loan.

Remember to search iBistro using the name of the director of the film, the film genre, and/or the principal actors.

TIP:In order to adequately search for reviews and criticism, be sure to find the names of the major actors, the director, producer, and the year the film was released. In addition, you may want to note the date of the VHS and/or DVD release.

Internet Movie Database
The most comprehensive of searchable online movie databases (now owned by Amazon.com). Some reviews are available, however, be aware that many are not written by professionals, rather, they are submitted by the general public.

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers 4th ed. 2000 in the Gale Virtual Reference Library (Library Database)

CRITICISM and REVIEWS -What’s the difference?

While these two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference. Generally REVIEWS are written at the time the movie is first released, when the video or DVD is issued, or as part of a BEST FILMS or RECOMMENDED VIEWING list. Reviews tend to appear in newspapers and magazines.

CRITICISM can be done at any time after the film’s release. It involves a more studied and in-depth approach to the movie. Criticism is more likely to appear in professional magazines and journals. Please note that the study of films as a scholarly endeavor really began in the mid to late 1960’s.

The following can be used to locate criticism and reviews.

Bibliographies & Full-text Articles:Individual Films – from UC-Berkeley Library

Film Literature Index – from Indiana University’s Digital Library Program. Covers criticism published from 1976-2001 only.

Academic Search Premier Library database

Biography Reference Bank Library database
Search for the name of the director or the actors.

British Film Institute Film Classics REF PN 1995 .B732 2003
Reprints the 50 volumes of the series British Film Institute Classics published between 1992 and 2000

Communications & Mass Media Complete Library database

The Encyclopedia of Novels Into Films REF PN 1997.85 .T54 2005

The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies REF PN 1995.9 .S26 H38 2001

The Encyclopedia of Stage Plays Into Films REF PN 1997.85 .T544 2001

Encyclopedia of the Musical Film REF PN 1995.9 M86 G7

Encyclopedia of Westerns REF PN 1995.9 .W4 F27 2002
Covers the major and (many of the minor) westerns produced on film.

Film Noir: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference… REF PN 1995.9 F54 S74 1995

Guide to Critical Reviews: The Screenplay REF PN 1995 .S3
A multivolume set with lists of reviews from magazines and The New York Times.

History in the Media-Film and Television Library Database

JSTOR Library database

Lexis-Nexis Academic Library database
Best for newspaper articles back to the early 1980s.

MLA Bibliography Library database

Magill’s Cinema Annual REF PN 1993.3 .M34 M345

Magill’s Survey of Cinema – English Language Films REF PN 1993.45 .M3 1980
REF PN 1993.45 .M32 1981

Movie Review Query Engine
Can be used to locate movie reviews available on the general internet. Just be aware that many of the reviews listed are not necessarily by experts or professional movie reviewers. Some may be submitted by the general public.

New York Times website
The New York Times has just changed their policy about accessing articles on their website. It is still unclear how much you can get for free. You will have to register.
OR

Use New York Times (Historical- 1851-2004) Library database

Project Muse Library database

Selected Film Criticism REF PN S426 .S45
Contains reviews and criticism from 1896 – 1960. Many of the entries are reprinted in their entirety.

CHECK to see if MCC Library has a periodical by using this Periodical Title Finder.

IF you are having difficulty finding criticism on your film:
Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

Before starting, check out the Assignment Calculator.

Find the front page of the New York Times for the day you were born by using the Historical New York Times. (Put your date of birth in the “Date Range-On This Date” box, then hit “Enter” or click “Search”).

Follow the same instructions for any other date you are looking for.

To locate sources of information for each of the years you are investigating:

Try iBistro for books on particular era or decades. There are two series of particular interest “American Decades” and “American Eras”.

Can’t find enough in any of the iBistro libraries? Try Worldcat and request the items through Interlibrary Loan.

Try Academic Search Premier (particularly for your birthday year). Articles for pre-1980s are indexed but many of them are not fulltext. Use the Interlibrary Loan request form and the Library will try to get you a free copy of the article.

The the Facts on File history databases to view timelines and information for particular years.

Search JSTOR for journal articles written in or about a particular year.

You might check how prices translate from past years to today’s dollars by using the Cost of Living Calculator.

To see the calendar for any year, check this CALENDAR.

Remember, MCC Reference Librarians are here to help:
Call 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a question on this blog.

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Start off by using the Assignment Calculator is at U of Minnesota Libraries.

Below are suggested sources for information on topics in Dance:

• Check the International Encyclopedia of Dance
• Look for books, DVDs and videos available in our Library by using iBistro. You can also see what some libraries in the Middlesex County area have as well.
  
• For books, DVDs and videos available in other libraries, try WORLDCAT. Use Interlibrary Loan for items MCC Library does not have. Forms are also available at the Reference Desk.
• Use The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts catalog. While the items are not full text, MCC Library can try to obtain them through Interlibrary Loan.

You can search 19 of our databases all at once, by using 360 Search. Note that the default is to search the words in the title, but it may give you a good idea of what databases would work best. (Titles with an asterisk are in 360 Search).

LIBRARY DATABASES

Biography Reference Bank

Academic Search Premier*

Lexis-Nexis*

Historical Newspapers- The New York Times- 1851-2004*

Project Muse*

WEBSITES

Star Ledger Arts & Events Calendar ( search “Dance”)
State Theatre – New Brunswick.

Remember, MCC Reference Librarians are here to help:
Call 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or post a question on this blog.

Learning about the authors of articles, books, websites or other materials, provides one approach to verifying the accuracy of information. However, many authors work in relative obscurity and finding extensive (or any) information on their credentials or expertise can be a challenge. The steps outlined below, offer a systematic approach to locating information about authors.
Please see a Reference Librarian if you encounter any difficulties.

FOR AUTHORS OF BOOKS:

Check for biographical information on the dust covers of hard bound books, or on the covers of paperback books. (Unlike many other academic libraries, Middlesex County College retains the dust covers of books added to the collection.)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

• Redo a Author/Name search in iBistro to locate other books by the same author or books ABOUT the author.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

• Check Biography Reference Bank, Contemporary Authors or Biography Collection Complete under the author’s name.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION:

• Look for a book review on one of the author’s books. Lengthier reviews may provide information on the background of the author you are researching. (See a Reference Librarian for help in locating reviews)

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• Follow some of the steps outlined in “FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES”.

FOR AUTHORS OF ARTICLES:

When using MCC Library’s databases listed under Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles , the following techniques can help you find author credentials:

• If the article you find is available full text or full image, you may find information about the author at the beginning or the end of the article. This is particularly true for journal articles.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• Where possible, check for a paper copy of the the magazine, journal or newspaper containing the article in question. You may find information on the author at the front of the issue under “Contributors” or under the information detailing the editorial staff and most prominent staff writers. (Of course if the article was not available in electronic format to begin with, you would have to find the paper source).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• If using the databases on the Magazine, Newspaper & Journal Articles page, try clicking on the author’s name. You may find other articles written by him/her which may contain biographical information. You may also find that the author seems to write exclusively for one publication, on one particular subject area. (If this is the case, follow the instructions that follow).

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• Find the website for the publication. (If you are using one of the EBSCO databases, do a “Publication Search”. The website will be listed in the details of the publication). You may find the author’s credentials listed there.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• Do a search on GOOGLE or other search engine (not Yahoo or other directories). A word of caution: there may be many people with the same name. It may prove difficult to determine which one is the author you are seeking.

IF THIS YIELDS NO INFORMATION

• See a Reference Librarian or….

• Maybe the lack of information on the author is telling you something?….

Reference Librarians are here to help!
Stop by the Reference Desk
Call us at 732 906-2561
Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
or Post a question on this Blog.

• Do some background research to find the names of the groups active in the controversy, the prevalent points of view and/or the terminology that is most appropriate.

EXAMPLE: On the subject of abortion, pro-life and pro-choice represent opposing views.

Use CQ Researcher, Facts on File, or the Britannica to get an overview of your topic.

• Remember that using the words Pro/Con often do not yield good results. (See the example above).

Check our online catalog iBistro for books, DVDs, videos… on your topic. Particularly useful are the series: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS and TAKING SIDES.

Searching for articles:

Try Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis, Masterfile Premier and ABI/Inform may be the most useful databases, although depending on your topic, other databases might be more suitable. A Reference Librarian can help you make that determination or check the Subject List to find some suggestions.

• Use the terms COMMENTARY or EDITORIAL to find opinion pieces.

• Some of the following words may also help narrow your search results:

analysis —evaluation— public opinion— surveys— political aspects— proponents— opponents— social aspects

• Know the sources. Publications may have a particular bias. Example: The American Rifleman (NRA publication) would have articles AGAINST gun control.

• Remember that research articles on particular topics tend to appear much later than news articles, opinion pieces, and think pieces. You may also find that the research validates only ONE point of view.

• If you plan to use the public web, consider using a directory to locate one or two credible websites. Try: Librarians’ Index to the Internet or Infomine.

• Remember that the Reference Librarians are here to help!
  Stop by the Reference Desk
  Email us at refmcclibrary@yahoo.com
  Call us at 732 906-2561 or
  Post a question on this Blog.