Course Research Guide
LITR 283 : Women's Literature
Professor Lobdell, Summer 2008
Finding Books in Milne Library | Finding Biographical Information | Finding Literary Criticism |Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article | Selected Web Sites
Finding Books in Milne Library
- Library Catalog
- Example: toni morrison and biography
Example: virginia woolf and criticism
Example: harriet beecher stowe and slavery - Search for materials on the larger social/philosophical/literary/historical issues involved in your topic:
- Example: marriage and 19th century
- Example: women and adultery
The online catalog is a database listing many of the materials available in Milne Library. For critical studies of women authors, enter the author's name or the title of a novel or literary work and the word "criticism." Or combine the author's name with a broad theme.
Note the call number for the item and consult Library Floor Plans to determine the location of the item.
- Biographical Dictionaries in the Reference Room
-
American Writers (alphabetical by author) REF PS 129.A55
Dictionary of Literary Biography (use index in plastic cover to find vol. & call #) REF PN 3310 .W33
Finding Biographical Information
- Biography and Genealogy Master Index
- Gives citations to sources of biographical information for contemporary and historical figures around the world. Copy the title and paste it into the library catalog to find out if the library has the book.
- Contemporary Authors
- Guide to current writers in fiction, general nonfiction, poetry, drama, and other fields. Covers American and British authors. Provides complete biographical and bibliographical references.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library
- A collection of full-text electronic reference books covering many subject areas.
- New York Times Archive, 1851-2003
- Includes full-text of this major national newspaper.
- The Twayne Authors Series - Twayne World, English, and US Authors
- Go the the Gale databases, scroll down the page to find the link to Twayne. Comprises 600 full-text titles from the Twayne Literary Masters series, 200 each from Twayne World, US, and English Authors.
- Literary Criticism & Bibliography
Finding Literary Criticism
Much critical analysis of literature is first published in periodicals. Periodicals are publications that come out on a regular, or periodic, basis. Examples include newspapers, magazines, and journals. Scholarly, or peer-reviewed, periodicals are appropriate for more serious research, while magazines, or popular, periodicals are intended for entertainment or information for general audiences. See this Scholarly Journals v. Popular Magazine Articles handout to understand all the differences.
-
Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism 3 vols. (alphabetical by author) REF PN 44 .M358
Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism (NCLC) (alphabetical by author) REF PN 761 .N5
Twentieth Century Short Story Explication 7 vols. (alphabetical by author) REF PN 3310 .W33
World Literature Criticism (alphabetical by author) REF PN 523 .W67
Central Search lets you search for articles in more than one database at a time. By doing this you can discover which databases are the best for your particular topic. Central Search doesn't let you use the more advanced and sophisticated features that each individual database offers, but it can be a good starting place. You can select which specific databases you'd like to search by going to Central Search using this link.
Finding a Copy of a Periodical Article
- Locating the full text of the article in electronic form:
- If there is no full text with the citation for an article, click on Find It! If a full text of the article is available in another database, there will be a link connecting you to that database, where you can locate the article in the appropriate volume, or search for the article by title or author.
- You can also determine whether a periodical is available electronically by entering the periodical title in the search box on the library home page under the tab Find Journals and pressing Search. If the title is available in electronic form, check the coverage, and click on the database link(s) and search for the item(s) needed.
- Locating the article in print or microfilm, if unavailable in electronic form:
- Click on Search the SUNY Oneonta Catalog under "Additional Options for Finding Full Text." Type the title of the periodical in the search box above the phrase "Exact Title." Press "Go." If the title is listed, click on "Availability" and check to see if the volume needed is included in the "Summary Holdings." Note the location of the periodical title. Most periodicals will be on level P.
- Requesting an article on Interlibrary Loan:
- If you find an article from a periodical that is not available at Milne Library in any form, you can request the article through ILLiad - Interlibrary Loan through a link on the record for the article needed (see computer screen that comes up after you click on Find It!). Click on ILLiad Interlibrary Loan Request Form. You need to be registered to submit ILL requests. See a librarian for help.
Selected Web Sites
Kay Benjamin (benjamkd@oneonta.edu), Milne Library, SUNY College at Oneonta
http://www.oneonta.edu/library/courseguides/summer2008/litr283.asp
Created July 2008
