Public Art Research

Books: 

• Title, subject headings, table of contents in BobCat
• Table of contents and index in the book.

Articles:

• Title, abstract, & subject headings in the Database record
• First and last paragraphs and keyword passages in the article.

Books:

• "Search & Discover" record
• Copyright page (behind the title page of the book)

Articles:

• Database record
• Cover, spine, table of contents, or margins of magazine, journal or newspaper

• Language and Presentation (formal/informal)
• Authors who are academics, not journalists
• Footnotes or bibliography
• Original research, not summary of other people’s work
• Quotations of and analysis of primary sources
• Publisher of book or journal (University Press usually scholarly)
• For articles, which database you found it in and how you limited your results, e.g, JSTOR has almost all scholarly articles, Art Full Text has a mix, use the "peer-reviewed" limiter to narrow to only scholarly sources. 

Books:

• In "Search & Discover" record, click on the title. 
• Number of pages appears next to “Description.”
• Book’s table of contents and index will show you extent of coverage.

Articles:

• Number of pages appears in Database record. Opt for Feature Articles rather than Reviews.

• Appropriate reading level (college vs. high school)
• Check for signs of bias (objectivity vs. subjectivity)
• Assessing the argument

• Who is the author or publisher? (Go to 'About' link on websites)
• What is the mission of the website?
• Who is is intended audience? (Go to 'About' or 'Home' page, or "What we Do," etc.)
• Is there bias or opinion?
• Is there a last date updated on the site? When is it?  
• Check the domain: .edu and .org domains are non-commercial (see the 'Google Search Tip' box)
• Remember that much information on the internet is produced by businesses, agencies, organizations or individuals with a certain bias or agenda