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Visual Art: Websites

Guide to Library Resources

Using the Web

There is a lot of great information online, but there are concerns with using the material.

Wikipedia

Like any encyclopedia, Wikipedia should not be used as a critical source. It is a good way to get your grouping on a topic, but should ideally be used to direct you to more rigorously researched sources.

Images (size, quality, originality)

Be aware that material online may not be of good quality to study, nor is there any guaruntee the material is correctly attributed, or undoctored.

Make use of Library electronic sources like Oxford / Grove Art Online for curated, quality resources.

Copyright

See the tab above on Referencing Images for details on copyright in art.

Evaluating Websites

Evaluate web sources very carefully before including them in your research. The main conditions for evaulating a website are:

Who is the author? It is important to check the author's credentials to determine whether he/she has the knowledge and authority to supply credible information. Check to see if any contact details are provided.

How current is the information? See when the document was created and when it was last updated.

What is his/her interest in the material? Can you detect any bias in the content and are you able to determine the purpose of the site? Check the address to identify the type of organisation producing the document. Be aware that commercial interests and some politically motivated sites may not present a balanced view.

What is the content? Can the content be considered comprehensive and of good quality? Does it provide links to other documents? Check on the audience the information is aimed at (e.g. primary school students or university students)