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Short Stories & Their Themes

This guide provides titles of and links to library resources that can help you with your literature assignment. Here's a link to the Search Sheet.

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 topic are you researching?

List what you know about your topic -- who, what, when, where, why, and how:

What would you like to find out about your 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 Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", then you need to list as many synonyms and related key words as possible. Also create a list of keywords that represent the THEME of the work. Use the list of words to create multiple combinations with the word AND in order to have a successful search:

  • jackson, jackson shirley, shirley jackson
  • lottery, criticism, short stor*
  • united states, u.s., america, 1950s
  • human sacrifice, red scare, anticommunism, antisemitism, scapegoat*
jackson
and
lottery
or
 
or
shirley jackson
and
criticism
or
 
or
jackson shirley
and
short stor*

 

antisemitism
and
united states
or
 
or
scapegoating
and
u.s.
or
 
or
anticommunism
and
america

 

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. (stor* = story, stories, etc.)
  • 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. (What does the login page look like?)

Location & Call No. Reference Source Title
Ref PN50 .L574 Literature and its times : profiles of 300 notable literary works and the historical events that influenced them
Ref PN451 .M67 World Literature and its times: profiles of notable literary works and the historical events that influenced them (Tomas Rivera: v. 1, p. 1)
Ref PN771.C59 Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC)
Ref PN771.G27 Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (TCLC)
Ref PN761.N56 Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism (NCLC)
Ref PN3321.S5 Short Story Criticism (SSC)
Ref PN3326 .M27 Masterplots II: Short Story Series
Ref PN3373 .S56 Short Stories for Students
Ref PQ7081.A1H573 Hispanic Literature Criticism (HLC) - TOMAS RIVERA!!!
Ref PS153.N5B556 Black Literature Criticism (BLC)
Ref PN471 . G74 Great Women Writers
Ref PN 471 .M37 Masterplots II : Women's Literature Series
Ref PS147 .O94 Oxford Companion to Women's Writing in the U.S.
 
Ref BF31 .E52 Encyclopedia of Psychology
Ref BF789 .C7 C58
 Color
Ref BJ63 .E45 Encyclopedia of Ethics
Ref BL2525 .E53 Encyclopedia of the American Religious Experience
Ref E184 .M5 M4535 The Mexican American experience : an encyclopedia
Ref E184 .M5 M453 Dictionary of Mexican American History
Ref HM886 .E53 Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict
Ref HQ1115 .E43 Encyclopedia of Women and Gender
Ref Q175.46 .S34 Science and its times : understanding the social significance of scientific discovery
Ref RA649 .E53 2001 Encyclopedia of plague and pestilence : from ancient times to the present

Online databases - CRITICISM Screen captures - clickable! - use these for your Authors/Titles
Literature Resource Center LRC
Magill On Literature MOL

More Databases - THEMES Use these for your THEMES: black death, plagues, migrant workers, depression, ritual sacrifice, antisemitism, WWII, etc. - be sure to try other keywords, too!
History Resource Center (choose U.S. or World) HRC
Gale Virtual Reference Library GVRL
CQ Researcher CQ
Opposing Viewpoints OV

I. Define Topic II. Devise Strategy III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web IV. Evaluate & Cite

B. BOOKS, VIDEOS, other items - Looking for in-depth information?

  • QuickSearch Books & Media (Catalog)

    By:     Search for:
  • Remember the old timey Card Catalog? What were the 3 ways you could search it?
  • With the online Catalog, start with a Keyword, then look for Subject headings.

A few Subject headings (just copy & paste into box!) you can use to search By Subject:

  • Jackson, Shirley, 1916-1965 -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, 1860-1935 -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Poe, Edgar Allan, 1809-1849 -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Rivera, Tomás, 1935-
  • American literature -- Mexican American authors -- History and criticism
  • Mexican American literature (Spanish) -- History and criticism
  • social ethics
  • migrant agricultural laborers
  • rites and ceremonies
  • postpartum depression
  • revenge
  • epidemics
  • persecution
eBook

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. (What does the login page look like?)

MLA

JSTOR

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


IV. Evaluate and Cite your sources

 

Research Process

From UCTV: Tomás Rivera, well known educator and author, was appointed third Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside, in 1979. Twenty-five years after his death, family, friends, and members of the community gathered together to celebrate his life and legacy.

25 minutes into the video, Rivera responds to criticism about ...y no se lo trago la tierra

 

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