User Guides
Welcome to the Artivism Media user guides. These guides will help you make the most of our platform, from basic searches to advanced filtering and analysis.
Getting Started
New to Artivism Media? Start here:
- Use the search bar to find content by keywords
- Browse collections to explore curated content by theme
- Visit the Timeline to see content distribution over time
- Explore the Map to discover content by location
- Check the Commons section for freely reusable content
For detailed instructions, see the specific guides below.
Tool-Specific Guides
Search Guide
Learn how to use advanced search operators, filters, and query strategies to find exactly what you're looking for.
Read Search Guide →Timeline Guide
Understand how to interpret temporal trends, read the timeline visualization, and identify patterns over time.
Read Timeline Guide →Map Guide
Learn how to use geographic filters, understand location data, and interpret spatial patterns in the archive.
Read Map Guide →Commons Guide
Discover how to find, verify, and properly attribute Creative Commons and public domain content.
Read Commons Guide →Query Patterns
Common search patterns and examples:
"climate activism" OR "environmental movement"
location:"New York" AND type:video
license:"CC BY" AND type:image
date:[2020-01-01 TO 2020-12-31] AND "protest"
For more examples and advanced patterns, see the Search Guide.
Troubleshooting
No results found?
- Try broader search terms or remove some filters
- Check spelling and try alternative keywords
- Use OR operators to include synonyms
- Remove date or location filters that might be too restrictive
Too many results?
- Add more specific keywords
- Use AND operators to narrow results
- Apply filters for media type, date range, or location
- Use quotation marks for exact phrases
Content not loading?
- Check your internet connection
- Try refreshing the page
- Some external content may require direct access to the source
- Contact us if the issue persists
Resources
How It Works — System architecture overview
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
Glossary — Terminology and definitions
Contact Us — Get help or report issues