1. Design Research - Mary Ann Frank

2. Research begins with Sources
Books
Periodicals
Electronic media and websites
These are just a few examples…
Research begins with Sources

3. Resources must be Reputable!
Without reputable resources, research cannot be depended upon
Numerous electronic resources makes determining reputation more difficult
Seek authors, their credentials, and details of the topic – dates are critical!
Google Images does not provide details and is not reliable for academic research!
Wikipedia is not reliable for academic research!
Retail websites are not acceptable for academic research!
Resources must be Reputable!

4. Resources must be Relevant
A museum website is a good candidate for a reputable design history resource, for example
Design history resources must include dates of the subject for your verification
Just because a bed image is labeled ‘Rococo’, does not mean the bed was designed in the 18th century Rococo period! But its date will.
Check for dates, not labels
You never know how an author will categorize period styles
Resources must be Relevant

5. Where to find Resources???
This course has material on reserve at the University Library main desk
material may be copied and scanned
Check Herron School of Art library
Check your public library, particularly the Marion County Central Library – the main, downtown location (large furniture section)
Check a bookstore newsstand for relevant periodicals
If all else fails, check the Internet, but proceed with caution!!!
Where to find Resources???

6. Another valuable resource…
University Library has extensive research options on its website:
Reference librarians here can help in person, or online
Select:
‘Research a Topic’
‘Research Guides’
‘Art’
‘Finding Images’ and ‘Web Resources’ are useful
…proceed further for more info…
Another valuable resource…

7. University Library Website
‘Finding Images’ in University Library’s Research website has relevant content for design history. A couple of examples are:
ARTStor
The first time you access this website must be on campus for entry verification. Thereafter, you have 120 days of remote access.
CAMIO
Catalog of Museum Images Online
Search for ‘Furniture’
University Library Website

8. University Library Website
‘Web Resources’ in University Library’s Research website has relevant content for design history. A couple of examples are:
Art Institute of Chicago
Search for ‘Furniture’
The Getty
Select: ‘Museum’, ‘Explore Art’, ‘Types of Art’, ‘Furniture’
University Library Website

9. University Library Website
More examples in ‘Web Resources’:
National Gallery of Art
Select: ‘The Collection’, ‘Decorative Arts’, ‘Furniture Tapestries and Ceramics’, ‘Selected Online Tours’
Art History Resources on the Web contains many, many museum websites, for example:
‘Museums and Galleries’, ‘United States’, ‘The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York’:
in this site see ‘American Decorative Arts’, ‘Collection Database’, search on keyword ‘Furniture’
University Library Website

10. University Library Website
These are just a few of the many electronic resources available from University Library
Reference Librarians are always available to help with research – do not hesitate to use them!!
University Library Website

11. Reference Citations Reputable research always cites its resources
A standard citation methodology must be used such as ‘ALA’ or ‘MLA’
It does not matter which standard is used, as long as one is used consistently
See examples at the end of this presentation
There are many resources for using these standards such as:
Microsoft Word software
The Owl at Purdue (click for these websites)
The TCM Writing Center
Reference Citations

12. Everything consulted needs to be cited (unless it is considered such common knowledge that most people know it!)
This includes:
Background information referenced in your writing
Images
Current products available from manufacturers or websites for sale
Even, your own personal photographs! (see the previously mentioned websites for assistance on how to cite them)
What needs to be cited?

13. Written Content in Research
Your personal writing merges the research you have conducted.
It should be written in your own words based on what you know and what you have learned
It should be of high academic standards including:
Using relevant subject terminology such as furniture terms and styles
Clearly readable and understandable
have someone test this for you
Free of error!!
No misspellings, no grammatical or punctuation errors
Written Content in Research

14. Written Content in this Class
Personal writing should follow assignment requirements
Check, and double check, assignments
Personal opinions are fine – and often add to the writing, but need to be explained and justified
It is not sufficient to state that you ‘think so’
It is always recommended to review your work with the TCM Writing Center
They can work with you online if you’re taking online classes!
Written Content in this Class

15. Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n. d. ). Research and citation resources
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Research and citation resources. Retrieved from
TCM Writing Center (n.d.). TCM writing center resource links. Retrieved from =wc
University Library (n.d.). Research. Retrieved from
References