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Film and Media Studies

A research guide to film and media studies.

Background Research

Start out by reading your assignment and the requirements thoroughly

Simple Searches - Often uses one keyword or phrase to help grasp a more broad understanding. These are resources that help you develop a specific research question and learn the terminology you will want to use in your research. These broad resources, while informative, are not scholarly and should not be used as such in your own work. 


undefined - Helpful to get a quick understanding or broad overview but unreliable in finding scholarly resources. While it can be a great place to start, it is not recommended that you finish your research here. 

Narrow Your Topic

Ask yourself questions about the topic. 

What specifically interests me? 

  • A certain time range?
  • A certain group of people?
  • Is there something I want to know more about?

Why is this important? 

  • What/who does this information impact?

These questions help build the stakes of your assignment. 


Come up with synonyms and alternative search words.

  • Consult a thesaurus.

Put it all together to formulate your topic and begin searching!