Theater Arts

Getting Started

When starting to research a topic, it's often best to start with a reference source that is related to your topic, such as Theater and Allied Arts or The Cambridge Guide to American Theater.  Search the library search tool and the eBook collection to locate this type of source or refer to the sources listed in the Backgound & General Information section found on this page.

Theatre Arts is a very broad topic and can take many forms so be sure to be as specific as possible by including the playwright's name, title of the selected play or the period you want to know about.  Too broad a topic can cause you to become overwhelmed with all of the resources that come back.  You can always ask your instructor or a librarian for additional help with your research.

Starting with background information will give you an overview of your topic, identify important people and events, and provide a time frame. Getting the basic information helps you create more effective search strategies.  However, information found in general encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia Britannica or Funk &Wagnall's New Encyclopedia cannot be cited or used as a source for your research project.