Art History - Reliability of Sources
Evaluate your sources based on the C.R.A.A.P Test*
Is it Current?
When was it published? Are their references current? Is currency important for your topic?
Is it Relevant?
Does the information relate to my topic? What audience is it written for? Is it at an appropriate level for my needs?
Is it Authoritative?
Who is the author/organization? Are they qualified? Is it edited or peer-reviewed? If a website, does the URL tell you anything?
Is it Accurate?
Where does the information come from? Are there references? Are there errors, broken links etc.
What is its Purpose?
What's the purpose if the information? Advertising? Scholarly work? Opinion? Is there bias?
*Adapted from Meriam Library, California State University, Chico
Use the links below to find sources that will help you determine the reliability (authority, accuracy...) of the sources you want to use.
2. Use the following sources to find books and articles published by the author and items about the author. Do an author search for best results.
- Library catalog See what books Pickler Library has by or about this person.
- WorldCat. Do an author search to see what other books the author has written.
- WorldCat Dissertations. Do an author search to see topic of dissertation, when and where the doctorate was given. Only those Dissertations cataloged in WorldCat.
- Articles Databases
3. Use Other resources for finding biographical information:
Biography and Genealogy Master Index. An index to the various biographical dictionaries such as Who's Who, Who's Who in America, Directory of American Scholars, and hundreds of others. [ Use Literature Resource Center to find biographical information about authors -- particularly in the set "Contemporary Authors". ]
Print sources to check:
International who's who - Reference CT120 I5 (older volumes in General Collection)
Who's Who - Reference DA28 W6 (older volumes in General Collection)
Who's Who in America - Reference E663 .W5612 (older volumes in General Collection)
Biography Resource Center Includes biographies and full-text articles from hundreds of magazines and newspapers on people from all eras and fields of endeavor. It also includes tens of thousands of images and links to vetted websites
New York Times Index 1851+
Searching is free (to view articles on this site you must become a subscriber)
Pickler Library has the microfilm from 1851 to the present
The New York Times is also available fulltext from 1980+ through Nexis Uni
New York Times Obituaries Index. 1858-1978. Print: Reference CT 213 N47
Actual articles will be on microfilm.
Obituaries from the Times. (London) Includes reprints of the articles for leading personages. For others only the reference citation is given. Print: Reference CT 120 O16 (1951-1975)
Magazines for Libraries. Gives information regarding reliability, bias
if it is peer-reviewed (refereed).
Print: Reference PN 4832 M34
JournalFinder : A
will display if the journal is peer-reviewed.
*This is a listing only of journals the library has access to through our many databases or in print.
Finding the full journal titles by abbreviation: http://www.abbreviations.com/jas.php
About Books (Book reviews)
Search TruSearch for Book Reviews:
Book Review Index. Index to reviews appearing in newspapers, journals
Print 1965+: Reference Table A
New York Times Book Review Index, 1896-1970. Index to book reviews
appearing in the
New York Times newspaper. The actual articles are on microfilm.
Print: Reference Table A
Indexes more than 400 key international arts periodicals and some other arts publications. Full text from 1997 onward is available for select publications.
Art Index Retrospective. 1929-1984. Coverage of older articles in international periodicals and journals in the arts. Also in print 1929-1997: Reference N1 A1 A78.Access World News: Includes full text of reviews appearing in many
newspapers from about 1990 forward.
About Web Sites
- Be Careful! Remember almost anyone can publish anything on the Web
- Web pages are unstable and easily altered
- Blur between information and advertising
Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask : by UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops
For further assistance you can visit the Library Service Desk, call the
Reference Department (660-785-4051) or contact the Reference librarian for Art.
Janet Romine, Reference Librarian for Art & Art History