CTVA 319: Theory and Criticism in Cinema and Television

Your searchable topics are informed by your assignment prompt. Consider the following example using the Advanced search function in OneSearch:

• Subject ="Film adaptations" AND gothic literature 

Figure 1:

Figure 1 illustrates multiple techniques to increase the relevance of your search results by using:

• subject searching to ensure your results are reasonably ABOUT your search terms.
• the "is (exact)" function from the drop menu to ensure that multiple words are searched as a single term.
• the boolean operator "AND" to pull results that contain both sets of terms.

Figure 2:

Figure 2 illustrates a catalog record produced by the subject search using the search terms "Film adaptations" and "gothic literature". Note how these terms appear in the subjects assigned to the resource, assuring that the resource is sufficiently about the search terms used in the search. 

1. Create a research vocabulary

Provide a frame for your search around one of the central topics of the course, such as:

• film criticism 
• motion pictures 
• television criticism 

This will serve as your broad topic in a combination search (two or more search boxes). Select a narrow topic from your syllabus, or one that interests you.

• realism
• formalism
• structuralism
• semiotics or semiology
• genre and ideology
• auteur theory

2. Construct your search

Add your selected research terms to your advanced search by adding one term per box. You have the option of adding a third search box. Start by assigning your terms as subjects. If you have a preferred format (book or article) you can limit your results through the drop down menu under "Material Type". You can also limit the publication dates by entering them in the slots provided. View this sample search online.

Figure 1: Sample search using OneSearch advanced interface

If you have too few results, change one or more of your searches from "Subject" to "All fields". If you have too many results, you can further limit them through the limiters under "Refine my results" on the left. You can also lock the peer review filter here if desired.