Research & Writing
Below you will find links to helpful online resources for helping you write a paper, conduct research, visit local art libraries, and more.
Archives & Research Services
PAFA Archives
The PAFA Archives capture and preserve the institution's history since its founding in 1805. They include records documenting both the museum and the school, as well as personal papers and manuscript collections of individuals associated with PAFA. Many archival records have been digitized and are available online through PAFA's Digital Archives.
For individuals unable to visit the archives in person, the Archives offer a Remote Research Service. This service allows Museum staff to facilitate research using archival collections via mail, email, or telephone at the request of outside researchers. More information about this service can be found here.
Writing A Paper
The resources below provide guidance for academic writing, including evaluating sources, understanding citation styles, recognizing and avoiding plagiarism, and navigating copyright and fair use.
Evaluating Sources
-Evaluating Web Resources – Guidance on assessing the credibility, relevance, and reliability of online information.
Citation Style Guides
- The Chicago Manual of Style Online – Comprehensive guide to Chicago style for writing, formatting, and citations.
- Turabian and Chicago Style Citations – A practical guide for students using Turabian and Chicago citation formats.
- Modern Language Association (MLA) Formatting and Style Guide – Authoritative guide for MLA formatting and citation conventions.
Plagiarism and Academic Integrity
- What Constitutes Plagiarism? – Explanation of plagiarism and how to avoid it in academic writing.
- Plagiarism Quiz – Interactive tool to test knowledge of proper attribution and academic integrity.
Copyright and Fair Use
- Guide from Stanford University – Overview of copyright principles and fair use in scholarly work.
- Copyright Crash Course – Concise guide to understanding copyright, permissions, and proper usage of materials.
Creating Citations
- EasyBib – Online citation generator for APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
Reference Resources
Dictionary of Visual Symbols
More than 1,600 articles about 2,500 Western signs, arranged into 54 groups according to their graphic characteristics.
Getty Vocabularies
The Getty vocabularies contain structured terminology for art, architecture, decorative arts, and other material culture, archival materials, visual surrogates, and bibliographic materials.
Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body
Features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries ranging from the Antrum of Highmore to the Zonule of Zinn.
Area Libraries
Tri-State College Library Cooperative
The Tri-State College Library Cooperative (TCLC), an organization of over 45 college and university libraries, including Moore College of Art, The Barnes Foundation, Saint Joseph’s University, and Villanova University. PAFA students in good standing may borrow directly from any of its member libraries.
Free Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 13th-largest public library system in the United States, and has 54 library locations, as well as numerous digital holdings.
A Free Library card is available at no cost to anyone who lives, works, pays taxes, or goes to school in the City of Philadelphia. In addition, anyone who lives in the state of Pennsylvania can obtain a Free Library card without charge.
Moore College of Art and Design, Connelly Library
Borrowing is allowed through TCLC. Please check the Access Policy before you go.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum Library
The Library is open to the public with a Researcher’s Pass which can be obtained for free from the guard at the Perelman Building entrance. The Library is a closed-stack (non-browsing), non-circulating collection. Borrowing is not permitted. Digital images may be taken with a camera, cell phone, or tablet, as long as the flash is turned off and no tripod is used. Additionally an overheard book scanner is available free of charge. Researchers may bring their own portable USB or save to the cloud.
University of Pennsylvania
Van Pelt (Main Library): No Borrowing. Please check the Access Policy before you go.
Fisher Fine Arts Library: No Borrowing. Please check the Access Policy before you go.
PAFA is a non-profit school accredited through the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
PAFA is an applicant for licensure with the State Board of Private Licensed Schools.
PAFA, like any other college or university, cannot guarantee that credit earned will transfer to another institution. Transfer of credit is regulated by the criteria established by the receiving institution. It is the student's responsibility to confirm whether credits will be accepted by another institution of the student's choice. All PAFA officials are required to accurately represent the transferability of any courses, programs, and certificates offered by PAFA.