• Look up your keywords in the indexes to subject encyclopedias.
• Read articles in these encyclopedias to set the context for your research.
• Note relevant items in the bibliographies at the end of the encyclopedia articles.
• Additional background information may be found in your lecture notes, textbooks, and reserve readings.
In the boxes below you'll see our suggestions for resources you can use to better understand the topic you have chosen to research for your class.
Librarians call these types of sources background sources because they are sources that are written to give readers who don't know anything about a topic information to help them get started with their research.
In the video below, I show you how to use one of the background sources we often recommend for art history students, Grove Art Online. The video is close captioned.
Reference Sources 
Once you have chosen a topic for your paper, use general reference sources to get background information on your topic. Reference books such as the encyclopedias, dictionaries and handbooks, and the current issue titles are a good starting point for your research because they help you become better acquainted with your topic.
See the lists below for some selected reference sources available online and in print. Ask a librarian if you need help finding more resources.
Online reference resources require login for off-campus use. Enter your Cerritos College login when prompted. For more login information see the Database Login page.
Here are some of the library's online reference resources which can help you get some background information on your topic. These resources are available on and off campus.
Here are some reference sources located in the library. All of these books are found in the Reference area behind the reference desk. Although they cannot be checked out, students are able to photocopy pages.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Artists
Covering sculptors, architects, painters, video artists, and many other visual artists, this comprehensive reference details the lives and major works of prominent artists throughout history and around the world. Each entry offers basic biographical data on the artist, descriptive characteristics of the artist's creative output, significance of the work, career milestones, and locations where the artist's work is displayed.
Dictionary of Women Artists by 
Facts on File Encyclopedia of Art by Great Artists of the Western WorldGreat Artists of the Western World IIThe Grove Dictionary of Art by 
International Dictionary of Art and Artists
J. Paul Getty Museum Handbook of the CollectionsLarousse Encyclopedia of Renaissance and Baroque Art
Misogyny in American Culture [2 Volumes] by 
Oxford Companion to Art
Understanding Art