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Professor
Jennifer Morton
Library Liaison
Nancy "Sam" Urtz
Contents
Introduction
Research Basics
Selected Reference Books
Find Journal Articles
Selected Web Sites
How to Cite Your Sources
Need More Help?
Subject Guide
English
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The following is a guide to selected sources in Geisel Library that pertain to the assigned literature as well as to sample themes that are embraced in the writings. All of these resources can be accessed either on campus or remotely by entering in the S number on the back of your student ID.
For further research assistance, please take advantage of the reference services available to you in the Geisel Library. Stop by the Reference Desk in person or online at Ask a Librarian.
The reference librarians have created a group of Web pages named Research Help, and a tutorial called Searchpath, designed to help teach you the basics of library research and to introduce you to Geisel Library. On the Research Help pages, you will find a guide on Research Basics and a helpful guide about evaluating your Web sources, Judging What You Find. Please take advantage of these resources.
Reference books are shelved by call number in the reference stacks near the reference desk. They may not be checked out, but photocopiers are available on the lower level of the Library. Online reference books can be found in the library catalog or listed on the
E-Reference Resources page.
Use reference books to find background information on both the literary and non-literary influences related to the works being considered for this course. Here are some examples of Reference Books which may offer assistance:
General Reference Books
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online
This is a good source for obtaining background info on authors and finding keywords that represent your topic.
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Find entries for overviews on subjects such as realism, naturalism, and symbolism.
Ref CB9 .N49 (print version)
Oxford Reference Online
This online collection is good for basic background information on authors and historical events.
Subject-Specific Reference Books (Non-Literary)
The titles listed below represent only a small number of subject-specific reference resources that may be of use to you in your research:
Country Studies (from the Library of Congress)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders : DSM-IV
Ref RC455.2.C4 D54 1994
Encyclopedia of Psychology (multi-volume set)
Ref BF31 .E52 2000
Encyclopedia of Religion
Ref BL31 .E46 (print version, 16 volumes)
Encyclopedia of Sociology (multi-volume set)
Ref HM425 .E5 2000
New Catholic Encyclopedia, 2nd ed.
Ref BX841 .N44 (print version, 15 volumes)
Literary Reference Books
Critical Survey of Short Fiction (7 volumes)
Ref PN3373 .C7
Critical Survey of Long Fiction (8 volumes)
Ref PN3451 .C7
Dictionary of Literary Themes and Motifs (2 volumes)
Ref PN43 .D48
Encyclopedia of the Novel (2 volumes)
Ref PN41 .E487
Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century (5 volumes)
Ref PN771 .E5
Glossary of contemporary literary theory
Ref PN44.5 .H37
Literature Resource Center (LRC)
The Literature Resource Center provides selected online content to literary criticism from several multi-volume print titles available in the reference area of the Geisel Library, such as Contemporary Literary Criticism, Contemporary Authors, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. These reference resources provide extensive author biographies and bibliographies of further reading. User Guide
Please note: for an author-title index to the complete content of the 'Literary Criticism' series, please use the Gale Literary Index.
Popular World Fiction 1900-Present (4 volumes)
Ref PN3503.P586
Spanish American Women Writers
Ref PQ7081 .S6
Symbolism: A Comprehensive Dictionary
Ref CB475 .O38
World Literature and its Times: Latin American Literature and its Times
Ref PQ7081 .M625
Find Books and Book Chapters
Library Catalog
Some of the best material for your research will be found in books or book chapters. Access is via the Library Catalog. Begin your search by using keywords and then move to using subject headings supplied as indexing terms for books that look particularly interesting or relevant to you. Here are a few Keyword Examples to consider for this course:
- metafiction
- feminis* and allende
- (post traumatic or ptsd) and vietnam*
- magic* realism
- taliban and (psycholog* or stress)
- joyce and dubliners
- catholic church and ireland
- american naturalism
Please note: using the * (asterisk) as a truncation symbol allows you to retrieve variant forms of a word root; for example, feminis* will return book citations containing the words "feminism" or "feminist".
Use the Boolean operator AND to combine multiple concepts, and use the Boolean operator OR to expand your search with synonyms and related terms.
Here are some Subject Heading Examples which may direct you to relevant book materials pertaining to particular topics:
- Islamic fundamentalism
- Jihad
- Magic realism
- Muslim women
- Naturalism in literature
- Oates, Joyce Carol – Criticism and interpretation
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Taliban
- Women – Afghanistan – Social conditions
Finally, here are some sample book titles retrieved after using the Keywords and Subject Headings noted above. There are many other relevant titles.
The Catholic Church and the Nation-State; Comparative Perspectives
BX1793 .C355 (see chapter on 'The Catholic Church in Ireland and Northern Ireland')
Critical Essays on Joyce Carol Oates
PS3565.A8 Z63
Isabel Allende
PQ8098.1.L54 Z72 2002
Journalists Under Fire: The Psychological Hazards of Covering War
RC552 .P67F45 2006
Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community
PN56 .M24 M34
My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban
HQ1735.6 .Z75L3813 2001
Nine Parts of Desire: the Hidden World of Islamic Women
HQ1170 .B76 1995
Realism and Naturalism in Nineteenth Century American Literature
PS214 .P5
The Taliban: War, Religion and the New Irder in Afghanistan
DS371.2 .M3731 1998
A Trauma Artist: Tim O'Brien and the Fiction of Vietnam
PS3565 .B75 Z65 2001
WorldCat
If you are unable to locate enough materials in the Geisel Library catalog, repeat your search by using the collections of libraries worldwide through WorldCat. This expansive database enables you to identify relevant books owned by other colleges and have them delivered to Geisel Library for your use, via our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service. Try searching on the same keywords and subject headings that you used in the library catalog. If you find a relevant book, click on the title and look for the 'Request ILL' link. Once you submit the request, the book is typically delivered to Geisel Library within 7–8 days.
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Below is a selection of library databases that may yield useful journal articles for your research. They are arranged in alphabetical order by title. Some focus on literary criticism while others will provide psychological, sociological and spiritual context for the literature.
Try using the same keywords that you used in the book catalog as noted above. Remember to use Boolean operators and wildcards (the asterisk symbol) to improve your search.
Many of the databases on the list do not supply full-text versions of a needed article. In the results screen, if there is no full-text link readily available, click on the  icon to determine whether the journal is available in the Geisel Library or in full-text via another electronic database. If the article is not available, consider clicking on the Interlibrary Loan link to request a PDF copy of the article from another library. Articles requested via ILL will be delivered to your email inbox within about a week. WebBridge User Guide
WebBridge Video Tutorial (3.5 mins.; includes audio)
Academic Search Premier
This database is multi-disciplinary and many of the articles are available in full-text.
ATLA Religion Database and
Catholic Periodical & Literature Index
Use these databases if your research question intersects with the disciplines of theology or Catholic theology.
JSTOR
Search here for full-text articles from major journals in the humanities and social sciences. Coverage is generally from the beginning of publication to within 5 years of the current issue. User Guide
LexisNexis Academic: News
This database provides full-text access to book reviews published in major papers such as the New York Times and Boston Globe from about 1980. Tips: Use the drop down boxes to narrow your search to "Book, Movie, Music, Play..." under 'Select Sources'. Also, change the time period to 'All Available Dates' under 'Specify Date'.
Lexis Nexis also supplies valuable information about topics in the news since about 1980, such as War in Iraq. These readings may also be useful for your research.
Literature Resource Center
In addition to providing lengthy biographical profiles of authors, plot summaries, and literary , this resource also provides the full text of articles from more than 100 literary journals. User Guide
MLA International Bibliography
Produced by the Modern Language Association of America, this electronic index consists of bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore. (1963–present). Journal List (PDF) User Guide
Philosopher's Index
Use this database if your research intersects with the disciplines of philosophy or moral decisions. User Guide
Project MUSE
This database offers all full-text articles from over 300 peer-reviewed journals; subjects include humanities, arts, medicine, mathematics, social sciences, and more.
PsycINFO
Use this database if your research question intersects with the discipline of psychology.
User Guide
SocINDEX
Use this database if your research question intersects with the discipline of sociology.
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
Use this database if your research question intersects with the discipline of political science.
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These websites were handpicked for their relevance to your course topic. You may also want to conduct keyword searching on your topics in a search engine such as Google, but be sure to look for indications that the site's information is authoritative, objective and reliable.
Author Websites (created by the NYC school system)
This site has many links to author websites for this course's readings. Included are Allende, Joyce, Chopin, Oates, O'Brien, and others.
Authors on the Web
From the University of Virginia, another list of Websites that features author biographies.
Google Scholar
Google Scholar is a good starting point for research, but it is not considered comprehensive for scholarly content. For the most thorough search of a topic, consult subject-specific indexes (ERIC, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, etc.). Some, but not all, of the content in Google Scholar is available in full text. One word of caution: never purchase an article found on Google Scholar; always check with a reference librarian to see if the article can be located in Geisel Library's print or electronic collection or through Interlibrary Loan.
Internet Public Library
Click on the link to "Arts & Humanities," then "literature." Here you will find authoritative Websites on British and American authors and their works. Many of the authors discussed in this course are listed.
Literary Resources on the Net
The links here are categorized by literary genre (ex. Poetry) or literary period (ex. Victorian) and searchable by keyword.
MLA Style FAQ
Answers questions about citing sources.
Voice of the Shuttle: American Literature Resources
This website has a long history as an electronic gateway for humanities researchers, including an enormous listing of online resources related to American literature. The page is organized roughly by time period and author.
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MLA is the citation style required in this class. The library has both print and electronic versions of MLA citation guides; or ask a librarian for assistance.
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Ask a Librarian
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Types of Articles and their Characteristics (PDF)
WebBridge Video Tutorial (3.5 mins.)
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