Course research guide
IDST 2375: Interdisciplinary World Literature
Paul McQuien
Hello, Dr. McQuien and IDST 2375 students! This guide provides titles of and links to a variety of sources that can help you with your schedule of readings. Good luck, and let me know if you have questions or need help at any time!
I. Looking for biographical, background, or critical sources for drama and poetry?
Quick key to source locations:
- REF sources 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 sources are library databases that require a valid SAC SSN & PIN (mmyy of birth, unless you've changed it) for off-campus use. Your PIN is the same number you use to access student services online such as grades and registration. Check Step 1 on this guide if you have problems with access.
- Free web sources are just that - freely accessible to anyone on the Internet!
A. Literature
Resource Center
Location: Online
Do a quick Author search to find biographies, criticism, and reviews. If you
would like to narrow your search, use the Advanced search to combine an author
name with a title of a work.
B. Biography Resource
Center
Location: Online
Do a Name search to find biographies, magazine articles, and quality free
web sites for your author.
C. Magill
on Literature
Location: Online
Search for an author's name or the title of a work. This source can provide
biographies, reviews, and overviews of works including character analysis,
themes & meanings, and context. Sample searches:
- sophocles and oedipus (tip: Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus the King are all the same)
- sappho and poetry
- everyman
- shakespeare and othello
- moliere and tartuffe
- ibsen and doll's house
D. Literature Online (LION)
Location: Online
This resource contains magazine and journal articles on a variety of literature.
Click on CRITICISM & REFERENCE to search. Type the title or topic of the work
in the Keyword(s) box and type the author's last name in the Author/Subject(s)
box.
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.
E. Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism
Location: REF PN610.C53
This multi-volume source is the prime place for getting critiques of works
from this time period. Use the index to find out which volume contains your
author or work. Each volume lists authors alphabetically.
F. Drama Criticism
Location: REF PN1601 .D59
This multi-volume source is the prime place for getting critiques of dramas. Use the index to find out which volume contains your
author or work. Each volume lists authors alphabetically.
G. Drama for Students : presenting analysis, context and criticism on
commonly studied dramas
Location: REF PN1701 .D73
H. Poetry Criticism
Location: REF PN1010.P6
This multi-volume source is the prime place for getting critiques for poetry. Use the index to find out which volume contains your
author or work. Each volume lists authors alphabetically.
I. Poetry for Students : presenting analysis, context and criticism on
commonly studied poetry
Location: REF PN1101 .P64
J. Gale Virtual
Reference Library
Location: Online
There are some very nice entries on medieval drama, Everyman, and morality
plays. Just do a keyword search for each. Also, you can browse the most current
volumes of Drama for Students and Poetry for Students -- look
for "Or select a publication below:" and click on "View publications"
next to Literature on the main search screen.
K. Shakespearean criticism : criticism of William Shakespeare's plays
and poetry
Location: REF PR2965 .S43
L. World Writers in English
Location: REF PR9080.5 .W67 2004
Volume 2 contains a wonderful entry on Wole Soyinka.
M. World literature and its times : profiles of notable literary works
and the historical events that influenced them
Location: REF PN451 .M67
N. Literature and its times : profiles of 300 notable literary works and
the historical events that influenced them
Location: REF PN50 .L574
O. Librarians' Index to the Internet
Location: Free web
Collected, organized, and evaluated links for a wide variety of topics, including
literature. Browse collected
links under the categories of literary criticism, literary movements, poetry,
and more.
II. Researching a particular work or theme? Create a flexible search strategy!
If you're researching a particular work, such as a book, you basically have two elements to work with: the author's name & the title of the work. Use them separately or together to do your search:
- soyinka, wole
- death and the king's horseman
- soyinka and death and the king's horseman
If you're researching a particular topic or theme, such as "responsibility" or "gender roles" (from "Death and the King's Horseman"), 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:
- responsibility and family
- tradition* and family
- gender role* and women and cultur*
- sex roles and women
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. Cultur* finds culture, cultures, cultural.
- 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.
III. General sources for your author, work, or theme
Use your search strategy from section II. above!
A. Looking for BOOKS, VIDEOS, other items?
B. Looking for periodical ARTICLES?
- Academic Search Complete (all topics)
- Expanded Academic (all topics)
- Literature Online (criticism and reference)
- Literature Resource Center (biographies, criticism)
- MLA Bibliography (criticism)
- See all Literary Criticism
& Literature databases
- Social Issues & Social Sciences (Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Coll.)
- Religion & Philosophy Collection
- Newspapers (Historical NYT, Newsbank - San Antonio Express News, InfoTrac Custom - LA Times)
- More...
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.
IV. Evaluate and Cite your sources
