Analysis of finding aids indexing New Zealand Art periodicals

Abstract

A study based on the hypothesis that the finding aids currently engaged by New-Zealand arts information providers are not comprehensively indexing periodical material relevant to research in New Zealand art. The project canvasses art information providers to discover which finding aids are employed and selects five for testing. A sample of four years research in New Zealand art, 2000-2003 from the Fine Art and Art History departments of two New Zealand universities is obtained. A citation analysis is conducted on the bibliographies of the research to identify a sample of the population of periodicals relevant to New Zealand art research. The 50 most frequendy cited art periodicals are tested against the selected finding aids in a quantitative framework to determine if the hypothesis is proven. Statistical data is presented as to the coverage of the sample indexed in each of the finding aids. Of the periodical tides found in each finding aid the proportion of issues indexed in terms of the possible whole illustrates the breadth of indexing. Data revealing the depth of indexing is based on the number of records per issue, or per year, which are included in each finding aid for the periodicals indexed. In relation to the sample selected it was determined that none of the finding aids could be said to be comprehensive.