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CMST 230 Small Group Communication: Choosing a Topic

This guide will assist students in CMST 230 with their research assignments.

Choosing an Art Form

1984 cover

Novel

Inception film poster

Film

Johnny Cash music CD cover

Music

Cowboy Bebop poster

Animation

tattoo

Body Art

Klimt - 'The Kiss' painting

Graphic Arts

Print Magazines

Browse the current issue of the following magizines for topic ideas:

Artforum international
ARTnews.
American Photo
Communication Arts
Print
Rolling Stone

and many more available at the Library in the Periodical Collection...

Additional Research Resources

Check out STEP 1: Develop a Topic from our complete Step-By-Step Guide to Library Research:

Library Research: A Step-By-Step Guide
by Jennifer Rohan Last Updated Nov 29, 2025 2979 views this year

Developing a Topic

A successful topic is one that interests you personally and one that you want to learn more about. Browse for topic ideas and gather background information using...

reference books
magazines
electronic reference sources

Gale eBooks
Search for authoritative information in subject encyclopedias selected for courses and programs at Green River College
Bloomsbury Music and Sound
Search for global music genres, musicians, and places using the world map or the illustrated timeline to place albums and artists within their historical, political, and cultural context.
ProQuest Combined Databases
Search millions of articles from ProQuest's electronic collections, including digital newspapers, academic journals, and popular magazines like Newsweek and Rolling Stone. Select "Magazine," "Newspaper," and "Review" to help you find commentary on popular culture or art for topic browsing.

Wikipedia
Use this open encyclopedia to help you brainstorm keywords or get ideas when starting with a topic. Don't quote Wikipedia articles as academic sources!
Google

Suggested Reference Books for Topic Ideas

St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture by Tom Pendergast (editor)
Call Number: 306.4 S143

Publication Date: 2000

Reference Collection--in-library use only Later edition (2013) available as an ebook in GVRL (link above).
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Popular Culture by Gary Hoppenstand; John F. Bratzel
Call Number: 306.03 G816 2007

ISBN: 9780313332555

Publication Date: 2007

Available in Reference Collection--in-library use only
Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Photography by Lynne Warren (Editor)
Call Number: 770.9 E56 2006

Publication Date: 2005

Reference Collection--in-library use only
Arts & Humanities through the Eras by Edward Bleiberg
Call Number: 700.9 A792 2005

ISBN: 078765695X

Publication Date: 2004-10-15

Reference Collection--in-library use only
Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels by M. Keith Booker (Editor)
Call Number: 741.503 E56 2010

ISBN: 9780313357466

Publication Date: 2010-05-01

Reference Collection--in-library use only
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America by Andrew F Smith
Call Number: 641.5973 O98 2013

ISBN: 9780199734962

Publication Date: 2013

Available in Reference Collection--in-library use only
Graphic Design: A New History by Stephen J. Eskilson
Call Number: 760 E75g 2007

Main Collection
The Wiley-Blackwell History of American Film by Cynthia Lucia (Editor); Roy Grundmann (Editor); Art Simon (Editor)
Call Number: 791.4309 W676 2012

ISBN: 9781405179843

Publication Date: 2012

4 volumes
Available in Reference Collection--in-library use only

Browse the Shelves

Browse the shelves for books related to the arts....

391's: costume
641's: cooking/baking
646's: clothing/sewing
740's: drawing & decorative arts
750's: painting
760's: graphic arts
770's: photography
780's: music
790's: performing arts (including film)