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Construct a Search Strategy
- Ask yourself these essential questions:
- Which film are you working with?
- What is the genre of your film?
- What do you want to say about your film?
- What key words might you look for while searching for research sources?
- Where will you go to look for research articles?
For example:
- Title of your film
- Just as it is - no synonyms
- Genre:
- terms provided by Professor Sheehan
- Example: "Female Gothic"
- Note: some databases will suggest additional terms!
- Modifying concepts
- Robert Stevenson 1943 film
- females
- feminism
- women
- Terms provided by databases
- Term to distinguish the film from the novel, etc.
- Film
- Sometimes necessary in a database like MLA that will have a lot of articles on the source material - books, etc.
Brainstorm to Get Ideas
- Brainstorm search terms relating to ideas you have about your film"