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ETHN106 (Iyengar)

Where Else Can I Find Information?

Searching outside of library resources is necessary when doing research on most topics.

Start with a Google Search

It's always okay to start with Google. Google is a tool we all know how to use. It's fast and relatively easy to use. Here are some tips for using Google:

  1. Search for their name in quotation marks. This will tell Google that you only want to see results that have their first name and last name together. This is called a phrase search.
    • Example: "christy passion"
  2. Narrow your search if necessary. If you get too many results, or if there's someone with a similar or same name that keeps coming back in your search, add a word related to their work,  their medium, or their area of origin. This will refine and narrow your results.
    • Example: "christy passion" poet or "christy passion" hawaii
  3. Gather things now, evaluate later. As you search and find things online it might be too much to try to determine the quality or value of your online sources in the moment. Start a research document as a place to keep everything, then go back when you have more time and compare your sources

"christy passion" poet search in Google

Does your artist have a Wikipedia page?

A Wikipedia page is a great place to gather background and biographical information about your artist. If they have a Wikipedia page:

  1. Read through the article and takes notes. Information in their Wikipedia page may give you ideas about related things to search, including specific works, exhibits, locations, or important events in their lives.
  2. Look at the bottom of the Wikipedia page for References and External Links. These References are added to let readers know where the original information came from. Instead of using Wikipedia as a source in your paper, it would be better to read and reference any books, articles, news sites, or official websites in your paper.
  3. If there's no Wikipedia page, don't worry. Not everyone is going to have one, but there are still resources to find. Use the tabs above to to continue your search.

Wikipedia references and external links for Yuki Kihara entry

Try to find their official website

An person's official website is a great place to learn more about them, their journey, and their work if they have chosen to share it. Visual artists might be more likely to have an online presence than writers, but it's always worth seeking out. Somethings to keep in mind:

  1. To locate their site, try searching for their name and the words "official website." That's your best first search.
  2. If you can't find a website from your Google searches, move on to searching for their social media and look for official links from their bio in Instagram, facebook, or X.
  3. Do your best to verify that it is their official website created by them, and not just a fan site (remember https://shigeyukikihara.com/? I found her actual official site through Wikipedia!). They might speak in the first person, and they should have links to their official social media pages (again, check those social media links in bio).

Official website of Yuki Kihara

 

Look for other affiliations

Part of being an artist or writer is sharing your work with the world. For artists this means having their work shown in galleries, museums, or exhibitions; for writers this means publishing in books, journals, or anthologies. Look for such organizations to find more information about your artist's background and work.

Additionally, artists and writers might be directly involved with arts organizations, festivals, etc. a founder or board member. These types of organizations might include information about their members.

For example, there is some excellent biographical information about the poet Penina Ava Taesali on the website for Raven Chronicles Press, where she serves as a board member.

Board member information page from Raven Chronicles Press

Can you find their social media sites?

Social media can provide insight into the lives and works or artists, and can be a great place to view their work. Not all artists and writers may have social media, but if they do there are a few things to look for:

  1. Before everything else, know what your artist looks like and if they are living. You'd be surprised how many people actually share the same name in this big world, so it will help to know when you're looking at the wrong social media site.
  2. Search their name on Google with the name of a social media site. Add Instagram, facebook, or twitter to your Google search to see what comes back (keep in mind some of these sites might require you to use your own account or make an account to view their information fully).
    • Example: "christy passion" instagram
  3. Try to confirm if it's their official social media. Sites like Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) have methods to "verify" a user is authentic (but these companies aren't always forthcoming about how their verification works). Use common sense and your critical thinking skills to deduce if it's their real site. Look at their links and posts to confirm that they are legit (and revisit #1 above).
  4. Younger, contemporary artists and writers are probably more likely to have social media accounts, but their posts might not be helpful to your project. If all a poet has on their official sites are pictures of their cats, that might not contribute much to your paper.

Find Interviews and More

YouTube might be a good place to see some of your artist's work, interviews, short films, or other related content.

  • Look for the YouTube pages of official organizations or the official site of the artist, writer,  filmmaker, etc.
  • Be sure to apply the same critical evaluation skills to YouTube pages and videos that you would any other source.

 

YouTube video playing with title card Still Life