ARCH 230 Architecture & Cultural History I: Reference Works
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias and dictionaries provide background information in many areas, and can help develop your research topic.
- Oxford Reference OnlineContains full text subject encyclopedias, reference works, dictionaries, and handbooks in all disciplines.
- Oxford Art OnlineIncludes full text of the Grove 34-volume encyclopedia, The Dictionary of Art, which contains scholarly articles on the visual arts from prehistory to the present day.
- Oxford Bibliographies OnlineIncludes scholarly bibliographies that provide research guidance in several topical areas. Our current subscriptions cover the classics, Jewish studies, Islamic studies, Latino studies, medieval studies, the renaissance and the reformation, British and Irish literature, childhood studies, Chinese studies, cinema and media studies, American literature, education, communication, linguistics, philosophy, public health, and international relations.
- Very Short IntroductionsProvides concise introductions on a diverse range of topics in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
- The Grove encyclopedia of Islamic art and architectureOver 1,600 up-to-date entries on Islamic art and architecture ranging from the Middle East to Central and South Asia, Africa, and Europe and spans over a thousand years of history.
- The Grove encyclopedia of classical art & architectureProvides fascinating and authoritative art historical and cultural information about art forms, artists, rulers, philosophers, architecture, renowned works of art, archaeological sites and stylistic developments.
- The Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)The AAT is a structured vocabulary of around 125,000 terms, scope notes, and other information for describing fine art, architecture, decorative arts, archival materials, and material culture. (Copyright held by the J. Paul Getty Trust)
- The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN)The TGN is a structured vocabulary of around 1,000,000 geographic names, including vernacular and historical names, coordinates, and place types, and focusing on places important for the study of art and architecture. (Copyright held by the J. Paul Getty Trust)
Tools for Developing Keywords
- The Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)The AAT is a structured vocabulary of around 125,000 terms, scope notes, and other information for describing fine art, architecture, decorative arts, archival materials, and material culture. (Copyright held by the J. Paul Getty Trust)
- The Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (TGN)The TGN is a structured vocabulary of around 1,000,000 geographic names, including vernacular and historical names, coordinates, and place types, and focusing on places important for the study of art and architecture. (Copyright held by the J. Paul Getty Trust)
Why Reference Works?
Reference works are an excellent first stop in your research and are incredibly useful for the following:
- Getting an overview of a topic
- Getting topic ideas for a paper topic or narrowing your topic
- Brainstorming keywords for searching and learning the vocabulary used by authors in that area
- Learning the key works on a given topic
- Discovering the key authors on a given topic
Reference works are a good starting off point, but should not be cited in your research as they are not considered primary or secondary sources. The only exception is when reference works contain primary and secondary sources (like collections of documents and essays).