2. Explore Your Topic

After thoroughly examining your assignment, now it's time to look for some initial background research on popular culture. Browse the links below to learn more about popular culture through library databases. This phase of the research process can help you get familiar with the information that is available as you finalize what your topic will be.

Popular Culture Reference
This reference source gives an overview of popular culture, including links to more information on popular music, pop art, and more.

Concise Dictionary of Popular Culture by Marcel Danesi
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 1442253118
Publication Date: 2016-12-15
The Concise Dictionary of Popular Culture covers the theories, media forms, fads, celebrities and icons, genres, and terms of popular culture.
Popular Culture : Introductory Perspectives by Danesi, Marcel
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 9781538171318
Publication Date: 2024
Danesi's introduction to popular culture takes students through major forms of media to explore a vast array of cultural theories. The fifth edition features updated coverage on social media and digital cultures, including those surrounding memes, video games, virtual reality, and streaming service.
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture by Thomas Riggs
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 1558628533
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Enter your subject in the "Within Publication" search box.
A Companion to Popular Culture by Gary Burns (Editor)
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 1118883357
Publication Date: 2016-03-09
Includes over two dozen essays covering the spectrum of popular culture studies from food to folklore and from TV to technology.
Hit Makers by Derek Thompson
Call Number: E-Book
ISBN: 9781101980323
Publication Date: 2017-02-07
Some topics in this book:
· The secret link between ESPN's sticky programming and the The Weeknd's catchy choruses
· The 5th grader who accidentally launched "Rock Around the Clock," the biggest hit in rock and roll history
· How Barack Obama and his speechwriters think of themselves as songwriters
· The French collector who accidentally created the Impressionist canon
· Why almost all Hollywood blockbusters are sequels, reboots, and adaptations
· Why one year--1991--is responsible for the way pop music sounds today
· How data scientists proved that "going viral" is a myth
· How 19th century immigration patterns explain the most heard song in the Western Hemisphere

Analyze Your Topic

There are many ways that you may choose to analyze your topic regarding popular culture. Consider the following:

What is pop culture? Consider entertainment, fashion, sports, news, politics, and technology. How does pop culture influence society?
Conversely, how does society influence pop culture? Does art imitate life or is it the other way around?
Are pop culture artists responsible for what their messages cause people to think and do?
How has this fascination with celebrities impacted children and teenagers? How has it impacted people's self-image or body image?
How have some of the popular social movements of today increased awareness of the need for social change? How does mass media influence pop culture? How does social media influence pop culture?

Once you've analyzed your ideas about popular culture, continue on to the next page to narrow your topic and choose keywords for your research.