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DRAMA Graduate Research Methods I - VIRGO

FAL web page: www.lib.virginia.edu/fine-arts/

How to approach your topics-Search Strategies:

Before you begin your research it is necessary to spend a few minutes thinking about your topic and developing 'search strategies'. Search strategies consist of key words and/or phrases relevant to your topic of choice. For example:

 

play, playscript, playwright$
theater, theatre, drama, history, criticism
set design, acting, performance, directing

VIRGO

It is always necessary to begin your searches by searching the U.Va. catalogues for books. The keys to a successful VIRGO search are to choose the correct index and to choose a search type which is most inclusive at the beginning. The search can then be limited to be more precise.

How to search VIRGO:

1-Keyword, a specific word or words relating to your topic such as - theater and nineteenth (variations on 19th century theater topics)

2-First Words, the first words of your topic or title such as modern drama

3-Exact, the exact words you are looking for such as an exact title or a specific name such as Raisin in the Sun.

VIRGO uses '$' as its truncation symbol. When searching VIRGO always choose 'ALL' Libraries. You do not want to eliminate the very important work that may be housed in Alderman or Clemons.

Indices

Keyword anywhere- The broadest searching mechanism looking for the words or phrases in the title, description, author field or anywhere in the record of the book.

Author- Searches the author field of the record.

Title- Searches for words or phrases found in the title of the book.

Subject- This searches specifically for Library of Congress Subject Headings not a general subject.

Journal Title- Searches for all Journal Titles in the U.Va. collection. When searching for a specific Journal Title you must always eliminate any article at the beginning of the title (The, A, Le, L').

 

Keyword Anywhere: theat$ and nineteenth
Author: hellman, lillian
Keyword Subject: entertainment
Subject (first words): set design

 

WorldCat

Includes over 30 million catalog records and holdings from over 12,000 libraries worldwide, including UVA. Materials in all formats.

 

Simple Search KEYWORD acting and performance

Print Resources

The New York Times Theatre Reviews. 1870-1919, with index volume; 1920-1970, with index volume. (FA-REF PN 1581.N38)
New York Theatre Critics' Reviews. annual volumes. 1940-1996. with indexes by actors, play writes, directors, choreographers, designers, etc. (FA Journals PN 1601 .N4)
Dictionary of the theatre : terms, concepts, and analysis. Patrice Pavis. (FA-REF PN 2035 .P313 1998)
The theatregoer's almanac : a collection of lists, people, history, and commentary on the American theatre. Thomas S. Hischak. (FA-REF PN2266 .H53 1997)
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance. v. 1-2 (FA-REF PN 2035.O92 2003)
Oxford Companion to the Theatre. (FA-REF PN2035.O93 1983)
The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre. v. 1-2 (FA-REF PN1861.W67 1994)
Theatrical Designers. (FA-REF PN2096 .A1T48 1992)
The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre (FA-REF PN2035 .C65 2002)
The Entertainment Sourcebook. (FA-REF PN 2091 .S8E68 2005)

 

 

Contact the Librarian: Lucie Stylianopoulos | 924.6604 | lws4n@virginia.edu

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