CNX 155: Collage

Identify the key words that describe your topic and use them to search the library catalog and databases.  Make a list of synonyms for those words and search with those, too.  Enclose words in "quotation marks" when you want multiple words to express one idea or concept.

Examples:

collage and 20th century

Kurt Schwitters and collage

collage and "abstract expressionism"

Use the words AND, OR, and NOT--called boolean operators--between your keywords to broaden or narrow your search. 

Example:

collage AND (assemblage OR "mixed media") 

If you shorten, or truncate, a word and then use an asterisk to "stand-in" for its different endings, your search results will include multiple forms of the word.

Example:

A keyword search for Dada* will look for Dadaism and Dadaist(s).

Use Subject Terms (assigned by the Library of Congress) to find like items in the library catalog and in journal databases.  If you find a useful book or article, its catalog record usually will include Subject Terms that you can use to find related research material.

Examples:

Collage--Influence.

Collage, American--20th century.