Course research guide
ENGL 1302 - Mariano Aguilar, Jr.
Literature for Metal Heads
This guide provides titles of and links to library resources that can help you with your research paper. Here's a search sheet (MS Word doc) that you can use to keep track of your sources.
Have fun with your search, and let me know if you have questions or need help at any time!
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
I. Define Topic - reference sources in section III. below can help you with this part!
What work or topic are you researching?
List what you know about your work or topic -- who, what, when, where, why, and how:
What would you like to find out about your work or topic? What questions do you have? What are your learning issues?
II. Devise Strategy - create a flexible search plan, list key words/names
If you're researching a particular work, such as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, then you have a couple of options for searching. Here are a few examples:
- Title of the work: brave new world
- Author of the work: aldous huxley
- Combination Title/Author: brave new world AND huxley
- Genre of the work: dystopian fiction
- Author with keyword: huxley AND criticism
| huxley |
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brave new world |
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| aldous huxley |
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dystopian fiction |
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| huxley aldous |
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criticism |
If you're researching a particular topic, such as "society and technology" (a theme from Brave New World), then you need to list as many synonyms and related key words as possible. Use the list of words to create multiple combinations with the word AND in order to have a successful search:
- technology AND society
- media AND societ*
- television AND communit*
- computers AND influence AND united states
- media AND influen* AND society
So...what's the difference between KEYWORD v. SUBJECT searching?
Keyword
search = to combine key words or for more specific search; finds items that
contain your keywords
Subject
search = for broad search or when you know terminology; finds items that
are about that topic
TIPS:
- Use symbols such as the * at the end of key words to pick up alternate endings: communit* = community, communities
- Use keyword and subject searching together: start with a keyword search,
find an item that's relevant, then look for subject headings within item descriptions and incorporate
those subject words into your search strategy.
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
III. Search Sources
A. REFERENCE sources - Looking for background information or facts?
Sources labeled Ref are in print and available at the SAC Library, 2nd floor reference room. You can also check your local library catalog to see if they own a copy. Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE.
| Location & Call No. | Reference Source Title - CRITICISM |
| Online database | Magill on Literature |
| Online database | Literature Resource Center - click on ADVANCED to combine Author & Title |
| Ref PN50 .L574 1997 | Literature and Its Times (Black..., Brave...) |
| Ref PN86 .L56 | Literature Criticism from 1400 to1800 (Donne) |
| Ref PR541 .C36 1993 | Cambridge Companion to English Poetry |
| Ref PN761 .N56 | Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism (Murders...) |
| Ref PN1101 .P64 | Poetry for Students (Charge..., Rime...) |
| Ref PN1010 .P6 | Poetry Criticism (Rime...) |
| Ref PN1021 .C7 2003 | Critical Survey of Poetry (Rime...) |
| Ref PN3321 .C7 | Critical Survey of Short Fiction (Murders...) |
| Ref PN3321 .S5 | Short Story Criticism (Murders...) |
| Ref PN3365 .N68 | Novels for Students (Brave...) |
| Ref PN56.U8 S66 1995 | Encyclopedia of Utopian Literature (Brave...) |
| Ref BS540 .B62 1989 | Books of the Bible (2 v.) |
| Ref BS500 .D53 1999 | Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation (2 v.) |
| Ref BS491.2 .N484 | New Interpreter's Bible (12 v.) |
| Ref BS1225.52 .D53 2003 | Dictionary of the Old Testament |
| Ref BS491.2 .H37 2000 | HarperCollins Bible Commentary |
| Location & Call No. | Reference Source Title - THEMES/TOPICS |
| Ref ML3534 .P67 2000 | Heavy Metal |
| Ref BJ63 .E54 2004 | Ethics (3 v.) |
| Ref BF31 .E52 2000 | Encyclopedia of Psychology (8 v.) |
| Ref D510 .P66 1996 | Dictionary of the First World War |
| Ref E 76.2 .A45 1995 | American Indians (3 v.) |
| Ref E93 .P9654 1995 | The great father : the United States government and the American Indians |
| Ref HM886 .E53 1999 | Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict (3 v.) |
| Ref HM425 .E5 2000 | Encyclopedia of Sociology (5 v.) |
| Ref HD8066 .D47 | Working Americans (multiple vols. 1880-2003) |
| Ref HN90.V5 V5474 1999 | Violence in America (3 v.) |
| Ref HX806 .M626 2004 | Historical Dictionary of Utopianism |
| Online database | Access Science (science, psychology) |
| Online database | CQ Researcher (social issues, hot topics) |
| Online database | Opposing Viewpoints (social issues, hot topics) |
| Online database | Gale Virtual Reference Library (for all topics, includes Dictionary of American History, Encyclopedia of Religion, Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice, New Dictionary of the History of Ideas) |
| Online database | Health & Wellness Resource Center (medicine, health) |
| Online database | Facts.com (World Almanac, controversial issues) |
| Online database | Oxford Reference Online (for all topics, includes Oxford Companion to the Bible, several Oxford Companions to a variety of literature, Oxford Companion to Military History) |
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
B. BOOKS & MEDIA - Looking for in-depth information?
A few Subject headings (just copy & paste into box!) you can use
to search By Subject:
- Tennyson Alfred Tennyson Baron 1809-1892 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Sillitoe, Alan -- Criticism and interpretation
- Poe Edgar Allan 1809-1849 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Neihardt John Gneisenau 1881-1973 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Donne John 1572-1631 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Coleridge Samuel Taylor 1772-1834 -- Criticism and interpretation
- Huxley, Aldous, 1894-1963 -- Criticism and interpretation
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- netLibrary (eBooks) - try a Keyword or Full Text search. use quotes "for phrases."
- How to check out books & eBooks
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
C. ARTICLES - Looking for current information or need to highlight a specific issue?
Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE.
CRITICISM:
- Literature Online (click on CRITICISM & REFERENCE)
- Academic Search Complete (all topics; limit your search to FULL TEXT and SCHOLARLY)
- more literature databases...
THEMES/TOPICS:
- Academic Search Complete (all topics; limit your search to FULL TEXT)
- History Resource Center: U.S.
- History Resource Center: World
- JSTOR (history, humanities)
- Project Muse (humanities, literature)
- Discovering Science
- Science Resource Center
- Newspapers (Historical New York Times, Newsbank - San Antonio Express News, InfoTrac Custom - LA Times)
- more databases organized by subject area...
NOTE: If the full-text of the article isn't available online use the Journal Locator. Just type in the periodical title to see if SAC Library owns a paper copy or if another database offers full-text.
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
D. free WEB SITES
- LyricsFreak.com
- SAC Library Web Guide: Literature - American & British - American Authors, Online Literary Criticism
- SAC LitWeb - Bible as Literature, Chicano Literature, American Writers, Survey of American Literature
- National Review Online - John J. Miller, "Powerslave" (9/15/04)
- University of Maryland - Melissa Sites, "Pop Culture Interpretations of Romantic Literature"
IV. Evaluate and Cite your sources
TIP from Metallica: "Online databases from the library are called "subscription services!" So when you cite, get it right!"
TIP from Iron Maiden: "The librarians totally rock, dude! If you need help, just ask. We'll turn it up to 11! Yeah!"
Images of Metallica and Iron Maiden are from the library's Accunet/AP Multimedia Archive