LibGuides: English/Literature Research: Where to start?

Background Sources

Why use them?

Reference works, like dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, as well as online sources like the ones listed here, can be important sources of background or other information to assist you with research on your term papers. If your interests are broad, this information may help you focus on a manageable research topic. These sources may also suggest books or articles which contain more information on your chosen topics.

Recommended Online Sources

These online web resources may help you in your research.

A Time-Line of Poetry in English
Includes important dates, biographies, and bibliographic notes
Austen.com | Jane Austen novels, fan fiction and more
An online introductory site to Jane Austen and her works
Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and hundreds more
Fulltext literary resources
Books - The New York Times
Homepage for the New York Times Book Review, includes a searchable database of book reviews back to 1981
F.Scott Fitzgerald Centenary Home Page
Introduction to Fitzgerald studies online
Google Scholar
Use Google's search engine for "scholarly literature" to find subscribed sources on and off-campus. Go to Menu>Settings>Library Links to enable Bloomsburg University links to view subscribed resources. Look for "FullText@BloomU" links.
Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature
Starting point for online research in English Literature, covering writers from the Medieval period to today
Modern American Poetry Home
Online companion to the "Anthology of Modern Poetry," includes biographical information about poets, critical commentary on poetry, and syllabi of literature classes
Nineteenth-Century Literature
Alphabetical listing of prominent authors, with links to literary criticism, bibliographies, and biographical information

Project Gutenberg
Contains over 30,000 free ebooks, including many classics, that can be downloaded.

RaVoN--Romanticism and Victoriansim on the Net
Romanticism and Victorianism on the Net (RaVoN) is an International Refereed Electronic Journal devoted to British Nineteenth-Century Literature. The journal, which began publication as Romanticism on the Net in February 1996, is published four times a year. It expanded its scope in August 2007 to include Victorian literature.
The Victorian Web
Information about life during the Victorian era.
VoS: Literature (in English)
Voice of the Shuttle's guide to online literary sources

Recommended Sources from our Reference Collection

The Library has a large collection of encyclopedias, atlases, and other specialized reference books, in the Reference Collection on the 2nd floor. Following are a few examples:

Children's Liteature Review Ref PN1009 .A1 C5139 (found in the 2nd floor compact shelving)

Contemporary Authors (online)

Contemporary Literary Criticsm (online)

Dictionary of Literary Biography (online)

Encyclopedia of English Studies and Language Arts Ref PE65 .E47 1994

Gay and Lesbian Literature Ref PN56 .H57 G36 1994

Holocaust Literature Ref PN56 .H55 H66 2003

Johns Hopkins Guide to Library Theory & Criticism Ref PN81 .J554 2005

Masterplots II

African American Literature Ref PS153.N5 M2645 1994
American Fiction Ref PN846 .M37 1986
British and Commonwealth Literature Ref PR881 .M39 1987
Drama Ref PN6112.5 .M37 1990
Juvenile and Young Adult Fiction Ref Z1037.A1 M377 1991
Nonfiction Ref PN44 .M345 1989
Poetry Ref PN1110.5 .M37 1992
Short Story Ref PN3326 .M27 1986
Women's Literature Ref PN471 .M37 1995
World Fiction Ref PN3326 .M28 1988

Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism (online)

Oxford Companion to the English Language Ref PE31 .O93 1992

Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature (online)

Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature (online)

Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature Ref PN1008.5 .O94 2006 (also available online)

Oxford English Dictionary Ref PE1625 .O87 1989 (also available online)

Something About the Author Ref PN 451 .S6 (found in the 2nd floor compact shelving)

Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (online)