Medieval and Islamic Textiles

ARTH 430: TEXTILES AND

TRADE

Library ResourcesLibrary Website:

Ask-a-Librarian→ IM… InfoGuides

Library catalog: Books E-books (Net Library) DVD, VHS WRLC And more…

More Library Resources

Research DatabasesArts Databases

Art Fulltext

Bibliography History of Art (BHA)

Design & Applied Arts (DAAI)

ARTBibliographies Modern

Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals

ARTstor

More Library Databases

General Databases Academic Search Complete (exs: Digital

Creativity, Visual Studies, Visual Anthropology)

ProQuest Research Library (ex: British Journal of Photography, Journal of Glass Studies)

Wilson Omnifile (E-Journal Finder lists art journals, like Art in America, as available here)

JSTOR (exs: Artibus et Historiae, Museum Studies)

Humanities International Complete (exs: Art Asia Pacific, Word & Image)

Advantages of…

Books• Good for background information, timeline,

definitions, etc. • Length allows author to go more in-depth into a

subject

Articles• More specialized searching• Better for newer artists/designers (may not have

books yet)• More current information—more recently published

Search StrategiesKeyword:

• Simplest search• Looks for records that match the words typed,

not the ideas represented by the words

Controlled Vocabulary (Subjects):• Uses subject headings for more refined results• Looks for records that match the ideas

represented by the words.• Terms are standardized• Often active links

Keyword: Aboriginal art VS Subject Heading: Art, Australian aboriginal.

Keyword: David Malangi VS Subject Heading: Malangi, David, 1927-

More Search Strategies:

Boolean SearchingAND/OR/NOT

Combine keywords to narrow/broaden your search

AND— NARROWS YOUR SEARCH EX:  Tapestry AND Flemish

   Interior Design AND Color

OR—EXPANDS YOUR SEARCHEX: Film OR video    OR

      Wall paintings OR murals

NOT—LIMITS TERMS FROM SEARCH EX: Gothic NOT Revival

  Maya NOT Software             NOT 

Tapestry FlemishAND

Wall paintings Murals

Gothic Revival

Research Checklist

1. State your topic as a question.

2. Identify main concepts.

3. Narrow or broaden your topic.

4. Keep a list of terms that work best for your topic & add to it as you go.

5. This works whether you’re writing a brief paper or an in-depth research paper.

Researching Textiles: General Search & Then Refine

Examples:Dyes and dyeing Silk

Narrow by Region→ Dyes and dyeing—Mexico 

Narrow by Region→ Silk—China 

Narrow by Method/Technique→ Batik

Narrow by Time Period→ Silk—History                                             Silk—19th Century 

Narrow by Material→ Dyes and dyeing—Wool

Other suggestions→ Silk industrySilk weaving

Find an image and want to find out more

Title: Court Kilim (detail) 

Work Type: Decorative Arts, Utilitarian 

Objects & Interior Design, Islamic 

Carpets 

Dynasty: Ottoman 

Date: 17th or 18th c.

Creation site: possibly Turkey, Egypt, 

or Syria 

Material: wool; tapestry woven; slit 

tapestry 

Description: With carnation & other 

floral motifs 

From ARTstor

Tapestry, Tapestries, Woven, Weaving, Wool

Carpet

Islamic, specific country

Ottoman 

Court Kilim

Floral motif

Dyes and dyeing 

Time period

Decorative arts

Textile design

Brainstorm: Search Terms

Approaching Your Search & Evaluating Your Results

General Keyword Search• Start with a keyword search• Use 1 or 2 terms from the brainstorming activity• Check out book/article titles on the results page & any 

extra info like a table or contents or abstract• Find a good book or article, look at the subject

headings

Subject Heading LinksAdvantages: • Refine your topic• Narrow your focus• Take search in new direction• Find resources wouldn’t have found otherwise

Evaluate Your Sources

• Evaluate the sources you find!

• Print AND Online

• CRAAP Test:• Currency—Is the information out-of-date?

• Relevance—Is the information on topic?

• Authority—Who wrote the information?

• Accuracy—Is the information correct? • Purpose—What is the information intended to

do? Educate? Persuade? Entertain?

Questions

• Stop by the Reference Desk

• Ask-a-Librarian: IM, Email, etc. (

http://library.gmu.edu/ask)

• Call the reference desk at 703/993-2210

OR your liaison 703/993-3720

• InfoGuides (http://infoguides.gmu.edu/)

• Visual Arts Liaison: Jenna Rinalducci