Documentary Studies: Home

Identify and Develop a Topic

Selecting a research topic is much like deciding on a travel destination. Once you have narrowed your ideas to an interesting subject, write down a brief statement about this topic. For example: "Rock groups of the 60s, their popularity and major influence on the music industry."  Once the topic is selected, write down specific questions that you'll want to answer. The research process will drive your destination. Your original topic may develop into something entirely different. You may choose to follow an alternate path and go down a different road.

Find Background Information

After determining the topic, you can map out your route. You must identify the types of sources that will provide the information needed, then determine where to find these sources. Types of sources that should be considered include books, periodicals, the Internet, and other libraries (through interlibrary loan).

The key to finding books is the online library catalog called Discovery.  Search in Discovery by selecting a keyword that best describes your topic. You can also search by title, author, subject, or keyword. In addition to books, the catalog allows you to search for periodicals, government documents, audiovisual material, and Special Collections.   

 If you get lost during your sight-seeing trip, stop and ask directions. The following reference sources will be most useful to acquire quick answers to any questions you may have.

•  Begin with Encyclopedias, then to get off the main drag, use Subject Encyclopedias.

•  What does it mean?  Use a Dictionary.       

•  How much, how many?  Find Statistical Information.

•  Who?  Find Biographical Information.

•  How can I get in touch?  Use a Directory.

•  Where do I go from here?  Bibliographies.

Find Journal Articles

Periodicals include newspapers, magazines, and journals. They are published regularly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly. Journals are periodicals containing articles written by experts in a particular field of study. If the researcher wrote the article, is it a primary source. If reporters write the article, such as in popular magazines, it is a secondary source. Typically, journal articles contain extensive bibliographies that lead to additional sources.

Journal List - If there is a specific journal that you are looking for, this will take you directly to McFarlin's holdings.

Discovery - If there is a specific article that you are looking for, you can search Summon with that article's title.

Database List - If you don't have a specific journal or article in mind, then McFarlin's databases will allow you to search multiple journals with a keyword.

Film Analysis of Documentaries

A film analysis paper is a form of academic writing that provides an in-depth examination and evaluation of a particular film or set of films. Its primary purpose is to analyze the various formal elements that make up a film. The formal elements of a documentary analysis includes:

Narrative Structure

• Examine how the documentary constructs its narrative and argument through the selection and ordering of events, interviews, archival footage, etc.
• Discuss the documentary's thesis or central claim, and how effectively it is established and supported throughout the film.

Cinematography

• Camera angles and shot composition that shape the viewer's perspective on the subject matter.
• Use of lighting to create mood or highlight certain elements.

Editing Techniques

• Pacing and juxtaposition of shots to control the narrative flow.
• Use of archival footage, photographs, or supplementary visuals.
• Techniques like jump cuts or associative editing to create rhetorical effects.

Sound Design

• Use of voiceover narration or interviews to provide information and shape the argument.
• Inclusion of ambient sounds, music, or sound effects to establish tone and atmosphere.

Rhetorical Strategies

• Presentation of facts, evidence, and expert testimonies to build credibility (ethos).
• Use of emotional appeals (pathos) through personal stories or evocative imagery.
• Logical structuring of information and arguments (logos) to persuade the viewer.

A strong film analysis will:

• Establish a clear thesis about the deeper significance or artistic merit of the film.
• Use specific examples and evidence from the film to support the analysis of the formal elements.
• Discuss how the cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, sound etc. work together to develop the narrative, characters, themes etc.
• Adopt an objective, academic tone focused on interpreting the film's artistry rather than just summarizing the plot.

Consider the film's historical/cultural context and how it relates to or challenges conventions of its genre/time period.
The goal is to persuade the reader of a particular interpretation by breaking down and analyzing the purposeful use of cinematic techniques that construct the film's meaning and impact.