Please note that these instructions are aimed at Lehigh University students working in the Lehigh library system.  Others can use them as a model but will need to modify them for their local environments.

General Guidelines     |     Search Strategy     |     Web Searching

Finding Reviews

Use the guidelines on this page primarily for locating material for the annotated list of print, video, and web resources you will provide for the Historical Context and Filmic Context parts of the project.  There are separate, specific guidelines for finding reviews.
 

General Guidelines:

-- concentrate first on print (books, articles) and video resources

-- leave general  web searching for later (tho you will use specific online aids to find the print and video resources).

-- the annotations should cover the book/article/video/website's

• purpose (the author's thesis, main point or points, etc.)
• plan (what content is covered; how the argument proceeds)
• value/use (what the piece is good for, why a user would want it)

Help a user to decide whether the item is worth a look for his or her research project.

-- length: the review annotations are generally 50-150 words; in most cases make the annotations longer for the Historical Context and Filmic Context parts, say, 100-150 words.  Toward the size of the synopses.  In fact, think of your purpose as giving a healthy synopsis of the "argument" of your materials.

-- your search will likely turn up books, articles, and videos not available locally, in which case you must try to obtain them through Inter-Library Loan.   This can take time, so you must plan to submit requests early.

-- annotations of significant material that you can not obtain: do not list any material that you did not see unless you are very, very certain it is important.  If you are certain, it is ok to base your annotation on what others have said, but at the end of your annotation, add in parentheses: (Unseen; information from _________).

-- use MLA format for the citations (this Duke web site is good for format examples: http://www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/works_cited.htm

-- arrange print material alphabetically by author's last name; arrange videos alphabetically by title.

-- break the Historical Context list and the Filmic Context list each down into three parts:

• Print
• Videos
• Online

-- items on the Historical Context list and the Filmic Context list are not necessarily mutually exclusive: it's quite possible that it would be appropriate to have some material on both lists.

-- there is no magic number of entries; some subjects may be truly huge, others slight; you will need to look in as many places and at as much material as you can and then make reasoned judgments.

-- this piece of the project will take a good bit of time; start early and work steady.

--  start the web searching after you have completed the print and video portion and look below for slightly different annotation guidelines.
 

Need help?  Librarian Kathe Morrow (kem6, 83041, office on first floor Linderman rotunda) is available to  meet with you individually on your specific projects.  Tell her you are in Gallagher's class and part of the Reel American History project.