Locating Book and Film Reviews
From Bentley Library Research Help
Contents |
[edit] 1 About This Guide
Reviews are written by critics at the time of a book's publication or film's release. They answer the questions "Should I read this book?" or 'Should I pay to see this movie?" They are usually newspaper article length or shorter, although sometimes a review will be longer. More in-depth critical analysis appears later. Critical assessment usually changes and develops over time. This is a Guide to finding contemporary reviews appearing in major newspapers, magazines and journals, using Library Databases and Print Resources.
Don't restrict your search to one source. There are signicant differences in journal coverage, date ranges, and full-text availability. Notably, coverage prior to 1980 is often not available on-line. If you need contemporary reviews of older books or films you will need to use print indexes and microfilm. The exception being reviews found in the New York Times. The Bentley Library has the NYT on-line from 1851.
This guide is for finding reviews, but the resources listed are also good for locating articles on literary, film,and television criticism. For more information see the Literary Research Library Guide and the Arts, Media and Literature Databases by Subject page.
If you are having difficulty locating information ask the Librarian for assistance.
[edit] 2 Library Databases
- In the Find box enter the film or book "title in quotes"
- Scroll down to the Document Type dropdown box and choose Book Review or Entertainment Review
- This datebase has book reviews only.
- In the Find box enter the book "title in quotes"
- Scroll down to the Document Type dropdown box and choose Book Review
Communication and Mass Media Complete
- This datebase has book reviews only.
- In the Find box enter the book "title in quotes"
- Scroll down to the Document Type dropdown box and choose Book Review
- Select Expanded Academic or General Reference Center
- Select Advanced Search
- In the first row leave Keyword(ke) in dropdown box and enter the book or film "title in quotes" in the search box
- In the second row leave Keyword(ke) in dropdown box and enter book review or movie review or television program review in the search box
- This database embargoes titles from 0 to 5 years. The average is 2 years. This means that the most current issues are not available for the embargo period.
- Click on Search
- Click the Advanced Search tab
- In the search box enter the film or book "title in quotes" and select article title from the dropdown box - most reviews are for books
- Check Review box
- Click the Search button - no other selections are necessary for a review search
- Click on the News tab
- In the Select Sources drop down box select Book, Movie, Music, Play and Video Reviews
- Enter the book or film or television program "title in quotes"
- In drop down box select In Headline and Lead Paragraphs
- Select a date span (the default is 3 months)
- Click "Clear all databases"
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on Proquest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2004)
- Click the Advanced search tab
- For Book Reviews enter the book "title in quotes" and scroll down to Document type and select Review from the drop down box
- For Film and Television Reviews enter the film or program "title in quotes" and select Document title in the drop down box. Scoll down to Document type and select Article from the drop down box. Be sure the Sort results by box has Oldest (historical) first selected
- Click "Clear all databases"
- Scroll down and select Research Library or Proquest Newspapers. Scroll down and hit Continue button.
- For Book Reviews enter the book "title in quotes" and scroll down to Document type. In drop down box scroll to the Review section and select Book Review
- For Film Reviews enter the film "title in quotes" and scoll down to Document type. In drop down box scroll to the Review section and select Film Review
- For Television Program Reviews enter the television program "title in quotes" and scoll down to Document type. Scroll to Review section and select Television Review from the drop down box.
These databases can also be accessed on the Library's webpage.
These databases are also good resources for locating articles on literary and film criticism.
[edit] 3 Print Resources
The Library retains the following print indexes that can be used to locate citations to book and film reviews. To find a review, look in the volume for the year the book was published or the year the film was released.
Book Reviews
Book Review Digest (1905 - present) Current years in Reference Area - Older years in Old Indexes Lower Level
Book Review Index (1965 - present) Current years in Reference Area - Older years in Old Indexes Lower Level
Film Reviews
Film Review Index (2 vols.) Ref PH1995 .F464 1987
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (1900 - 2000) Old Indexes Lower Level
The terminology used in older volumes is interesting and not current usage. For instance, for locating the film reviews, search alphabetically under "Moving picture plays".
To identity the year of publication for a book try the WorldCat.
To identify the year of a film's release try the Internet Movie Database.
[edit] 4 Further Information or Questions
If you are having difficulty locating information ask the Librarian for assistance.
--Kdelorey 12:49, 6 March 2008 (PST)
