LibGuides: Finding &amp; Using Images in Research: Finding Images

Introduction

There are great deal of images on the internet - and it's overwhelming! Before you start your search, think about:

What type of visual evidence will help support the claims in my paper or project?
How will the image help my reader better understand my topic or argument?
How will I incorporate analysis of the image into my work?

When using an image, do your due diligence to find its source so you can properly credit the maker in your work. This may entail some sleuthing if the image you found is on social media or reposted from somewhere else on a website.

Instead of first turning to Google Images, here are some good places to start your search for high-quality images that are okay to use for educational purposes:

Digital Public Library of America

Digital Public Library of America
Best for: Photographs, maps, documents, and artifacts related to U.S. history.

James H. Karales. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1962. Retrieved from the Digital Public Library of America, https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4g15tm0n. (Accessed April 29, 2022.)

Smithsonian Open Access

Smithsonian Open Access
Access to more than 3.9 million 2D and 3D digital items from the Smithsonian collections. This includes images and data from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.

Library of Congress

Library of Congress Digital Collections
Photographs, maps, objects, prints, audiovisual materials, and more with a primary focus on American history and culture.

Newportal

Newportal
A collection of images, documents, and objects from cultural institutions in Newport, including the Newport Historical Society.

JSTOR Images

JSTOR Images
Wide range of images for academic use.

J. Paul Getty Museum

J. Paul Getty Museum
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Strong emphasis on ancient art of the Classical world, includes European and American art from all time periods.

British Museum

The British Museum
Best for: Art and artifacts relating to Europe and Asia from ancient times to the present day. The collection is wide-ranging and also includes images from all corners of the globe.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Europeana

Europeana
Image from cultural heritage institutions and museums in Europe and the world.

Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia Commons
90 million contemporary and historical images that are free to use. This is a great place to look for portraits, scientific images, contemporary images, or clip art.

Google/ The Internet

Did you find an image on a website or social media and you're not sure of the original source? Use the Google Image reverse search to see if you can find more information.

Finding & Using Images in Research

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