Evaluating Scholarly Credentials The Performing Arts Music and Dance Anne Harlow, Reference Librarian Performing Arts Subject Specialist Temple University Libraries February 18, 2004

Impact of Creative Work  Publications  Performances  People  Places - Performance venues  Prizes and Awards

Getting Started… Accessing the Library’s Databases from Home How to get to the Library’s Databases

Accessing Temple’s Restricted Databases from Home. First, you must configure your browser. Instructions for this are at You also need your AccessNet username and password, which is the same as your Temple account username and password. If you do not know your AccessNet username and password, go to accounts.temple.edu. If you have configured your browser and have entered your AccessNet username and password, and are still not able to use the databases, then call Computer Services for assistance,

How to Get to the Library’s Databases  Library homepage  All Research Databases  All Research Databases by Title

Temple University Libraries’ Homepage

Alphabetical List of Databases Navigational Alphabet Can also scroll down

Publications ♦Books ♦Journal Articles ♦Conference Papers ♦Recordings

Tools for Evaluating Publications ♦ Web of Science – Citation Studies for journal articles ♦ WorldCat – Books, Journals, Sound Recordings ♦ RLG – Research Libraries’ Group ♦ PapersFirst – Conference Proceedings ♦ Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory– journals ♦ Reviews

Web of Science Select “Full Search” for access to General Reference and Cited Reference searching. Can limit to Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Citation Index, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, or simultaneously search across multiple indexes. Select “General Search” and enter author’s name for a summary of article publications. Select “Cited Reference Search” to search for articles that cite an author or article that you specify.

Web of Science – Initial Screen

Web of Science – Types of Searches Choose appropriate index or indexes. Choose General Search or Cited Ref Search.

Web of Science – Cited Ref Search Screen

Web of Science – Cited Ref Results List

WorldCat WorldCat contains over 41 million records of the member libraries that contribute to the database, including books, computer files, manuscripts, maps, musical scores, and video tapes.

WorldCat - Searching Choose the “Advanced” search option, on a tab at the top left of the screen. Enter the title, keywords, ISSN or ISBN number. Limit format

WorldCat Initial Screen Advanced Search gives you more options.

Advanced Search Screen WorldCat - Advanced Search Screen Click on the drop-down boxes for searching options

WorldCat Drop-Down Boxes Drop-down boxes allow you to chose what kind of search to enter.

WorldCat – Entering Searches Keyword searching is most effective for performers on recordings. Search limited to sound recordings.

WorldCat – Reviewing Results ♦ More than one record may display. (This reflects the different information that libraries provide to the database.) ♦ Look at the records that truly reflect the title being researched. ♦ The “List of Records” displayed indicates the total numbers of libraries that own the item. ♦ If there are multiple records, add the total numbers of libraries. ♦ This database gives the truest indication of the total number of libraries that own this item.

WorldCat – Results List

RLG Union Catalog The RLG Union Catalog is the major union catalog of the holdings of the largest and most prestigious research and academic libraries in the world. Many of these libraries add their information to WorldCat, but not all do so.

RLG - Searching ♦ Choose the “Advanced Search” from the options on the top right of the screen. ♦ From the pull-down menu on the right, choose your search type. ♦ Enter keyword, title, ISBN, or ISSN.

RLG – Reviewing Results ♦ More than one record may display. Select all that apply. ♦ Select “Brief” display. This will output a brief bibliographic record with listings of all individual libraries that own the item. Note: Use this database as an indicator of quality and prestige, more than an indicator of sheer numbers of libraries owning an item.

Tools for Finding Reviews of Books and Recordings ♦ Academic Search Premier ♦ Book Review Digest ♦ International Index to Music Periodicals ♦ International Index to the Performing Arts ♦ Lexis Nexis (for complete indexing of The New York Times.) ♦ RILM

Conference Proceedings ♦ Number of participants at the conference. ♦ Number of members in the organization. ♦ Type of organization ♦ Check the database PapersFirst, for an indication of the accessibility and merit of the presentation. Often the website of the organization will have information concerning the number of members. Another good source for this information is the Encyclopedia of Associations, Paley Ref. Desk HS17.G32.

Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory ♦ Circulation figures - an indicator of quantity. ♦ “Academic/Scholarly” designation - an indicator of quality. ♦ Refereed status - an indicator of quality. ♦ Description ♦ Abstracting and indexing services by which the journal is covered (an indicator of quality, an indicator of accessibility: the more indexes include a journal, the more researchers are led to it. ♦ Indication of inclusion in JSTOR.

Ulrich’s Initial Screen

You can use the “Quick Search”, which is fairly straightforward, or the “Advanced Search” which gives you more options.

Ulrich’s Advanced Search Screen

Quick Search Example

Ulrich’s – Legend and Symbols

Ulrich’s – Evaluative Features Notice the tab for “Abstracting, Indexing, and Article Access”. Indicators of the validity of this journal Scroll down for more information.

LexisNexis for... Reviews of performances. The only way to get the entire full-text of The New York Times. Book Reviews. Information about performance venues. Information about prizes and awards.

LexisNexis – Initial Screen Click here and use the Guided News Search.

In Lexis Nexis you must specify... News Category News Source Search Parameters Date Range

Use the drop-down boxes to chose News Category - General News

Use the Drop-down Box to Chose a News Source

Full-text searching is best for performers, performances, venues, and awards.

Remember to specify the date range!

Enter Search Terms

Results List

What do the results mean? Lin Kun-Yang has been reviewed in The New York Times and other publications frequently. Go to the Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, Paley Ref Desk Z6951.A , to find circulation statistics for The New York Times.

© Reviews of performances © Reviews of recordings © Reviews of publications © Information about performance venues © Information about prizes and awards. International Index to the Performing Arts and International Index to Music Periodicals

International Index to the Performing Arts

IIPA - Entering Search Terms

You can scroll down to limit your results to peer-reviewed journals if desired.

IIPA Results List

Anne Harlow Reference Librarian Performing Arts Subject Specialist Samuel Paley Library Temple University Telephone: