Objective: To introduce you to resources available in Randall Library and on the Web that will assist you in developing your papers and presentations for this class.

I.  Searching the Library Catalog
The Library Catalog tells you everything that Randall Library owns or has access to. This includes books, videos, DVDs, maps, journals, and government documents. The Library Catalog tells you where the item is located in the library, where you can find it on the shelf, and if it is available to check out.

To search the Library Catalog go to http://library.uncwil.edu.

When you search, use KEYWORDS, not sentences. You can also use SUBJECT HEADINGS for a targeted, effective search.

EXAMPLES:
Religion in motion pictures
Religious films
Motion pictures--Religious aspects
Jesus Christ--In motion pictures
Mass media--Religious aspects
Mass media in religion

For a detailed guide to searching the Library Catalog, consult this webpage: http://library.uncwil.edu/randallguide/search.html.

II. Encyclopedias and Overview Literature:
The list of books below provide extensive coverage of popular and less noted scientists throughout history The library maintains many more sources than those listed here, so it is important to browse the shelves around the titles listed below to locate other relevant resources. The Reference Collection is located on the first floor of the library to the right of the library's entrance while the General Collection is located on the 2nd floor of the library.

Books

1. Critical dictionary of film and television theory
   Reference Collection Call Number: PN1993.45 .C75 2001

2. The film encyclopedia
   Reference Collection Call Number: PN1993.45 .K34 2001   

3. Encyclopedia of film themes, settings and series
   Reference Collection Call Number: PN1997.8 .A76 2001

4. Prime-time religion : an encyclopedia of religious broadcasting
   Reference Collection Call Number: BV656 .M45 1997 

5. Jesus in history, thought, and culture : an encyclopedia (two volumes)
   Reference Collection Call Number: BR145.3 .H68 2003 

6. The Encyclopedia of religion (16 volumes)
   Reference Collection Call Number: BL31 .E46 1987 

III.  Databases for Finding Articles: (back to top)

The following databases will be helpful for finding articles about religion and media in magazines, journals and newspapers.

1. ATLA Religion Database - The American Theological Library Association Religion Database provides information on topics such as biblical studies, world religions, church history, and religion in social issues. (Subscription-based access: http://library.uncwil.edu/elist3.html#a)

2. Communication & Mass Media Complete- a resource for students, researchers, and educators interested in any and all aspects of communication and mass media. (Subscription-based access: http://library.uncwil.edu/elist3.html#c)

3. Academic Search Elite - this multidisciplinary database covers more than 2,050 scholarly journals, including more than 1,500 peer-reviewed titles. (Subscription-based access: http://library.uncwil.edu/elist3.html#a)

4. InfoTrac OneFile - a comprehensive periodical database covering all subjects and all types of periodicals. It has over 22 million full-text articles on all subjects from over 5000 periodical titles including articles from newswires and general, professional, scholarly and children's periodicals. (Subscription-based access: http://library.uncwil.edu/elist3.html#i).

IV.  Evaluate What You Find: (back to top)

It is important to evaluate the information you find and use in your research. This applies to books, videos, websites, and journal articles. The following criteria will help you decide if an item is appropriate to use in your project.

Relevance: is the item appropriate for your research?	Validity: where is the information coming from?
Reliability: is the information accurate?	Perspective/Bias: does the author have an agenda?
Credibility: who is the author? what are their credentials?	Currency: when was it published?
Audience: who is the information written for?	References: is there a list of sources?

V.  Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad): (back to top)

What if the Library doesn't own the journal in which your article was published? Use Randall Library's Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery service, and the library will order articles you need from another library. This is a FREE service for students, faculty, and staff at UNCW. You do not need to know which library owns the journal that you need. Simply login into your ILLiad account and provide us with the citation, and we'll obtain the article for you. It generally takes 3-4 days for the library to process your request and obtain the article, so don't wait until the last minute for materials that you need!

To access this service, please see Randall Library's homepage (http://library.uncwil.edu) and under the Library Services section click on the following: Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery

VI.  Evaluate this Workshop: (back to top)

In an effort to continuously monitor and develop not only the content of these resource guides but also my presentation skills, I would like you to take a few minutes to complete the Evaluation Form. If there are aspects of this workshop that you liked/disliked or would like to have improved, please feel free to identify those in the evaluation. I appreciate your comments and taking the time to complete this evaluation. Thank you.

< Back to Religion Subject Guide
Last Update: December 12, 2005