Finding Books, Articles & More! - CLAS 2250/ HART 2250 - Roman Art & Architecture

Dealing with Abbreviations

Journal names are often abbreviated in bibliographies, and deciphering them can be quite a chore.

Below is an online abbreviation lists from the American Journal of Archaeology as well as a more comprehensive print resource in our reference collection.

American Journal of Archaeology - Abbreviations List

Dictionary of Bibliographic Abbreviations Found in the Scholarship of Classical Studies and Related Disciplines
Call Number: Central Reference 6th-flr Payne: PA99 .W44 2003
ISBN: 0313321418

Books, Articles and More!

Vanderbilt University Library Catalog

Selecting the best search scope for your research needs:

Library Catalog vs. VU Collections vs. Articles

Search Scope	What is included?	When should I use it?
Library Catalog	Broadest search scope Results will include books and ebooks, articles, and media like DVDs	A great option when you are just beginning your research process. Use Library Catalog when you want to survey the research landscape for your topic
VU Collections	Focuses on VU owned items, physical and digital Results will include books and ebooks, and media like DVDs Digital collections like the TV News Archive will also be included in your results	You have defined your information needs Use VU Collections when you are ready to create a tailored search for your topic
Articles	Content from selected VU databases Popular and scholarly articles	Use Articles to find popular and scholarly articles on your topic. The Articles scope does not search across all databases accessible to the Vanderbilt community. Not finding the articles you need or want more database options? Consult the Database A-Z

For a more detailed explanation of your search scope options consult What am I searching?

Keyword vs. Subject Searching

Step 1: Start your search process by brainstorming a list of keywords that describe the main concepts of your topic or question.

Step 2: Use these keywords for your initial searches.

Step 3: Use the Subject Heading links in the Library Catalog record to refine your search.

Try a SUBJECT search using one of the Library of Congress Subject Headings listed below:

Art, Roman		Architecture, Roman
Sculpture, Ancient		Colosseum (Rome, Italy)
Sculpture, Roman		Water-supply Italy Rome
Architecture, Ancient		Temples, Roman
Amphitheaters Rome		Relief (Sculpture), Roman

The following databases will help you find articles on your topic:

Classical Studies Databases

Année Philologique This link opens in a new window
lndex for research in Classics. Entries cover articles, books, book reviews, Festschrifte, and other collections dealing with the ancient Greek and Roman world, from the second millennium BCE to approximately 800 CE.
Coverage: 1969 to present. User Limit: Unlimited. Vendor Tutorials: http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/central/classics/APhGuide.html
Dyabola This link opens in a new window
Index of material on all areas of Mediterranean and and Near Eastern archaeology and philology from prehistory to the Byzantine era. Citations for books, book reviews, chapters, articles, and festschriften.
Access Note: Select the flag corresponding to the search interface language you desire.
International Medieval Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Interdisciplinary bibliography of the European Middle Ages, covering Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Periodicals and miscellany volumes (conference proceedings, essay collections, Festschriften, and exhibition catalogues).
Coverage: 400-1500. User Limit: 3.
TOCS-IN: Tables of Contents of Journals of Interest to Classicists This link opens in a new window
Tables of contents of classics, near eastern studies, and religion journals.
Coverage: 1992-.

Art Databases

Art Full Text and Art Index Retrospective This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive resource for art literature: articles, indexing and abstracting of journals, and art dissertations; covering fine, decorative, and commercial art, folk art, photography, film, and architecture. Includes indexing of publications, and citations of book reviews. Indexing of art reproductions provides examples of styles and art movements, including works by emerging artists.
Coverage: 1929 to present. User Limit: 4.
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive American guide to the current literature of architecture and design. Index of international, scholarly and popular periodical literature, including publications of professional associations; US state and regional periodicals; and major serial publications in the architecture and design of Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia.
Coverage: 1930s to the present; selective coverage dating back to the 1860s. User Limit: 5.
International Bibliography of Art (IBA) This link opens in a new window
Resource for scholarly literature on western art, and successor to the Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA).

General Databases

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Large and important archive for academic journals, books, and primary sources in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Many journals do not have current issues.
ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Search all ProQuest databases simultaneously. Includes arts, humanities, social sciences, news, and science and technology.
WorldCat (FirstSearch) This link opens in a new window
Catalog of books, manuscripts, websites, internet resources, maps, computer programs, musical scores, films, slides, newspapers, journals, magazines, sound recordings, articles, chapters, papers, and videotapes available at libraries worldwide. Cross-search OCLC databases: ArchiveGrid, ArticleFirst, Ebooks, ECO, ERIC, GPO, MEDLINE, OAIster, PapersFirst, ProceedingsFirst, WorldCat, and WorldCatDissertations.
All current Vanderbilt University students, faculty, and staff have access, both on and off campus.

What is ?

FindIt@VU provides direct links from a database citation to the fulltext of the article (if available) and other supporting resources.

An FAQ for FindIt@VU is also available.

Specialized Ebook Collections with Classical Studies Content

Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Articles and books on Archaeology, Classical Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology. Some content in Business & Management, Economics & Finance, Literature, Psychology, and Religion.
Cambridge Companions Online This link opens in a new window
Collection of Cambridge titles covering literature, classics, philosophy, religion and cultural studies.
Wiley Online Library This link opens in a new window
Journals, books, reference works, laboratory protocols and databases covering life, health and physical sciences, social science, and the humanities. Find classical studies content listed under Humanities.
All current Vanderbilt University students, faculty, and staff have access, both on and off campus.
Loeb Classical Library This link opens in a new window
Greek and Latin literature. Epic and lyric poetry, tragedy and comedy, history, travel, philosophy, oratory, medical writers and mathematicians; and Church Fathers who made particular use of pagan culture. Latin, Greek, and English texts.

General Ebook Collections

Ebook Central (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window
Ebooks from publishers in all academic subject areas.
eBook Collection (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window
Large collection of ebooks in many subjects.
Access Note: Titles restricted to 1 user at a time and become available to other users after 30 minutes of inactivity. Create a user account (click "Sign In" at the top and then "Create a New Account") for many more options, such as saving, folders, and alerts.