Research Guides: Product Design: Finding Articles (Databases)

Art + Architecture Librarian

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Design Library | 200 Lawrence Hall

Subjects: Architecture, Art, Art History and Architecture History, Arts and Administration, Historic Preservation, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Product Design, Urban Studies

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Design & Applied Arts Index This link opens in a new window
Indexes articles on graphic design, computer design and CAD, animation, product design, industrial design, more traditional applied arts such as ceramics, glass, textiles, and jewelery and environmental design.

Design-related Databases

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
Multi-disciplinary database providing indexing, abstracts, and selected full text for peer reviewed/scholarly articles, magazines, trade publications, and newspapers in all fields.
ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM) This link opens in a new window
Indexing and abstracting of articles, essays and chapters on contemporary art from journals, exhibition catalogs, and books including anthologies and festschriften.
ABM began indexing all aspects of art and art history including architecture and photography from 1800 to the present. Architecture was dropped in 1988. ABM currently indexes modern art from the late 19th century and photography from its invention. All geographic areas of the world are covered and topics range from traditional art media to body art, performance art, grafitti and computer art.
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Index to publications in architecture, urban design, urban planning, interior design, and historic preservation from 1741 to present day.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Provides access to both the Science Citation Index (SCI) Expanded, Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), and Arts & Humanities Index. The database can be searched by words in article titles and abstracts, by author, by journal, and to look for cited references.
WGSN This link opens in a new window
The WGSN Fashion module includes forecast, color, materials, product development, design for women, men, and kids in all product categories. The WGSN Insight module provides consumer insights, big picture, age demographic reporting, social media/marketing, retail insights, and more. Users need to create an account with their uoregon.edu account while on campus or logged into the campus VPN.

Discipline-specific Databases

BUSINESS

Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
Magazines, newspapers and journals in all business disciplines including marketing, management, MIS, POM, accounting, finance and economics going back to 1886. Additional content includes financial data, books, book digests, conference proceedings, case studies, investment research reports, industry reports, market research reports, country reports, company profiles, SWOT analyses and more.

MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS

Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Indexing and full text of academic journals in the fields of journalism, mass media, and communication. Some coverage of film, rhetoric and communication disorders.

Design Library Help (Eugene)

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Evaluating Sources

Below are some important things to consider when you are choosing which books, articles, and websites to use in your assignments.

Reliability

Is the information accurate and dependable? Do the facts match up?

Credibility

Is the primary voice an expert? What are their credentials? Primary voice could mean author or interviewee.

Validity

Where is the information coming from? It is personal opinion or research-based? Is there a bibliography or works cited section you can refer to?

Timeliness

When was it published?

Audience

Who was the article written for? Children? Scholars? Sometimes you can tell by the language - complexity and jargon suggest that it is written for a knowledgeable audience.

Bias

Does it discuss multiple sides of an issue or just one? Why was it written - for sales? to sway opinion?

Relevance

Is the article about what you are researching? How well does it address your research topic? Read the abstract or introduction and conclusion to figure this out. Remember, just because an article mentions your artist, doesn't mean it's actually about them.

Considering all of these elements can help determine if your source is a good one to use for your topic. You often don't need to read the whole item to evaluate a source. Read the abstract or introduction and conclusion to make a decision about if the resource is going to work for you. If it is, then read the whole thing.