Searching Tips Searching TipsWatch this page in the future for tips and advice on using SlideCat Web. You may want to print it out for reference while you work in the site. We will continue to modify this page as we hear from our users. Please let us know what searches have and have not worked for you. Comments or suggestions may be sent to the Visual Resource Collection, or phoned to us at (831) 459-2791.
Some searches may yield poor results because of incomplete information in records imported from our previous system. We continue to edit these older records as well as adding new ones. In instances of truncated titles in older records, using the wild card symbol @ may yield better results.
The @ symbol: We recommend using a wild card symbol @ following a query term. This will let you do a "begins with" query and will make your search more inclusive. Use it when you aren't sure how a term ends or when you desire all possible endings. For example, cat@ will retrieve cat, catacombs, cathedrals, cats etc.
Searching in SlideCat Web is not case specific.
KEYWORD SEARCHING: 
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Key words are derived from multiple fields in the slide record; they describe the image and its content . A keyword search will retrieve all the slide records which contain that exact word or words.
Key words may be strung together using a "+" symbol. Do not insert spaces between the key words and the "+" symbol. You can use the @ symbol in keyword searches with the "+" symbol. For example, maya@+ceramic@
Go to Keyword Search
Use the Search Form when you want to search known names, titles, or subjects. Using the @ symbol lets you do "begins with" queries.
You may search in any single field or in any combination of fields given in the form. Filling in many fields will greatly narrow your search. If you get zero results, try a search with fewer qualifiers.
The chronological period pull down menu represents Western conventional dating. For specific time periods of non-Western cultural areas, such as Early Horizon or Ming, search the Style and Periods file under "Browse by Category".
Go to Search Form
BROWSE BY CATEGORY:
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You can browse the following files in SlideCat Web:
In files where search forms are offered you may search in any single field or in a combination of fields.
Once you have located the desired term or name you may click on it to view related slides.
Go to Browse by Category
ARTISTS CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
The Artists file contains names of individuals, a group of people, or a corporate body who played a role in the creation or production of a work of art. Painters, architects, film directors, etc. are included in this file. For example: William Blake; Frank Lloyd Wright; Bauhaus
Enter any letter followed by the @ symbol in the Artist Name field to browse an alphabetical sequence of artist names beginning with the selected letter.
Enter either the artist's full name (surname, first name), or last name followed by @ symbol; entering the surname without the @ symbol will retrieve zero results. For a successful search, type picasso@ or picasso, pablo@ or picasso, pablo ruiz
Once you have located a desired name click on it to view related slides.
You may search the Artists file for nationality, gender, and ethnicity. For example, a search can be conducted for all Italian female artists, or for all female persons born in the United States of Asian/Pacific Islander origin. An individual artist's nationality or ethnicity may also be checked in this file. Nationality of artists is based on the country in which they were born.
Go to Browse by Artist
PEOPLE CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
The People file contains names of individuals who are depicted in the slide image. Portrait sitters, photographs of well known personalities, named persons who have distinctive roles and occupations, etc. may be searched for in this file.
Enter any letter followed by the @symbol in the People file to browse an alphabetical sequence of persons names beginning with the selected letter.
Enter either the person's full name (surname, first name), or last name followed by the @ symbol; entering the surname only will retrieve zero results. For example: dean@ or dean, james.
Once you have located a desired name click on it to view related slides.
You may search the People file for nationality, gender, ethnicity, and role. For example, a search can be conducted for all musicians of African origin born in the United States.
Go to Browse by People
ETHNIC GROUP CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
The Ethnic Group file contains names of people or cultural groups. For example, Native American tribes such as the Navajo and African people groups such as the Yoruba may be searched here. Historic culture groups, such as the Olmec are found in the Styles and Periods file.
See references are made to alternate spellings or forms of ethnic groups.
Enter any letter followed by the @ symbol in the Ethnic Group file to browse an alphabetical sequence of groups beginning with the selected letter.
Once you have located a desired group name click on it to view related slides.
Go to Browse by Ethnic Group
SUBJECTS CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
We use subject headings from the Library of Congress and controlled vocabulary from the Art & Architecture Thesaurus , as well as local terms to describe the image and its content.
A search in the Subjects file will result in a display list of broad subject categories which groups related terms together. Clicking on the category will display the terms. For example: album leaves and masks are terms found under "Arts Format"; child labor and slavery are terms found under "Sociological Concepts".
Once you have located a desired subject term click on it to view related slides. Subject headings are given in full record displays; both subject categories and subject terms may be used as key words or searched for directly in the Search Form.
Go to SlideCat Subjects
SITE CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
This file includes geographic sites where buildings, monuments, or towns are located, or where a work of art was manufactured or found. Some sites without man-made aspects, for example, the Mojave Desert or Mount Saint Helens are also included.
Enter any letter followed by the @ symbol in the Site file to browse an alphabetical sequence of sites beginning with the selected letter.
Clicking on the site name will retrieve related slide records.
See references are made to alternative spellings or types of sites, including "ancient" names. For example: Padova-- see: Padua; Constantinople-- see: Istanbul.
Go to Browse by Sites.
COUNTRY CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
Browsing the Countries file displays a list of countries and other geographic areas.
Clicking on the country name will retrieve all related slide records.
Selecting continents such as Africa or other broad regions such as Mediterranean Region will retrieve slides related only to that general location, for example physical or historical maps. To view slides related to individual countries located in that area, select the specific country by name. For example: Angola; Greece.
Go to SlideCat Countries
MUSEUM CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
This file contains names of museums, galleries, collections and institutions that display and house works of art and other objects.
Museum names are in many cases spelled in the vernacular. See references are made to alternate spellings or forms. For example: Uffizi--see: Galleria degli Uffizi.
A search by city only in the City Name field will retrieve a browse list of all related museums.
Use a museum name in conjunction with the related city to distinguish between institutions having the same name. For example: New York, Museum of Modern Art or San Francisco, Museum of Modern Art
Clicking on the city name given in the record list will retrieve related slide records.
Go to Browse by Museum
STYLES AND PERIODS CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
Use this file to locate slide records related to commonly accepted names of stylistic groupings and distinct chronological periods relevant to art and architecture.
A search in this file will result in a display list of geographical areas which group like styles and periods together. For example: Middle American; East Asian. Clicking on these will display related terms. For example: Olmec; Tang.
Once you have located a desired style or period click on it to view related slides.
Go to SlideCat Styles and Periods
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES CATEGORY: (back to Browse)
This file contains terms used to describe physical substances, products, and methods used in the creation or construction of works of art. For example: daguerreotype, etching, marble.
Clicking on a term will retrieve related slides.
Broad media such as painting, architecture, sculpture, etc., may be searched as key words or searched for directly from the "Broad Media" pull down menu in the Search Form.
Go to SlideCat Materials and Techniques
FACULTY/COURSE LISTS: (back to Browse)
This list represents special slide requests for specific UCSC courses or grants, or for sets on particular subjects. This list does not represent slide reserve lists for academic classes.
Go to SlideCat Faculty/Course Lists
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