Reference materials, such as encyclopedias and bibliographies, can be used to gain background knowledge on a topic, find specific information, and identify other sources of information. These are specialized reference databases and books that are written specifically for research in art and visual culture that will be helpful starting points in your research. Finding information on artists or specific artworks and the context of how and when objects were made, and how they might move from an artist's studio to a museum collection for example, are important methods in understanding art history and museum studies.
