English 290 - Approaches to Literature

Search Strategy

Look for a bibliography on your chosen writer.

This will be a guide to critical literature about him or her through time.
Use the HELIN text box on the Library Home Page.
Search the author's name in SUBJECT,last name, first name.
Limit your search to Wheaton College, or search all available libraries.

Search MLA International Bibliography, 1926 - for critical articles.

Access: From Library home page, use the drop-down menu, "Select a popular database..." to select Literature Online (LION)

Select Criticism & Reference from the left margin

Select Criticism (yellow print)

Select MLAIB

Enter author's name (last, first) in Author as Subject

Enter publication year to search by decade

Use compendia of critical essays

Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism (NCLC - Ref. PN771.C592)
"Includes criticism of works of ... writers who died between 1800 and 1899, from the first published critical appraisals to current evaluations.
Cumulative Title Index - Ref. PN771 .C592 cum. index v. 1-155

Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (TCLC - Ref. PN771 .C593)
Criticism of authors who died between 1900 and 1999.
Cumulative Title Index - Ref. PN771 .C593 cum. index v. 1-161

Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC - Ref. PN771 .C59)
Criticism of "Authors now living or who died after December 31, 1959."
Cumulative Title Index - Ref. PN771 .C59 cum. index v. 1-204
Contemporary Literary Criticism - Select
is available online, through InfoTrac. Entries include a link to "Reception History."

N.B. You are not reading the entire article in these collections. Use them as abstracts that will lead you to the original, complete articles.

Search JSTOR, the online archive containing the full text of articles from many disciplines, beginning with the first issue of each title.

Access: From Library home page, use the drop-down menu, "Select a popular database..." to select JSTOR

Search by author: enclose the author's name, in any order, in parentheses.

Example: (nathaniel hawthorne)

Limit your results to a specific book:
Add "AND ti:"book title"

Example: (nathaniel hawthorne) and ti:scarlet letter

Sort by Oldest To Most Recent

Find lists of Best Books

Enter subject headings

best books

literature - collections

Find books on "the canon"

Try the subject heading canon literature

In Keywords, combine canon literature AND books and reading

Look for entries in literary encyclopedias, dictionaries, anthologies, etc.

In the Reference Room, scan the stacks, starting from Ref. PN451.
See which world authors and which works were included in reference books.
Find thematic anthologies, e.g., women authors, American authors, American women authors, 19th century English literature, African American authors, English prose fiction, American prose fiction, short stories, etc. Use Keywords in HELIN to focus your searches.
Example: women and literature and american

Consult timelines to see what historical events might have affected literary reception history.

Two excellent timelines from the Reference Room:

Chronology of World History - Ref. D11 .M39 1999
This is a four-volume timeline, organized by time period, and within time period, by four main categories and 25 subcategories. The four main categories are: Politics, Government, and Economics; Science, Technology, and Medicine; Arts and Ideas, and; Society.

The Timetables of History - Ref. D11 .G78
This is a single-volume timeline, organized by time period, subcategorized by History, Politics; Literature, Theater; Religion, Philosophy, Learning; Visual Arts; Music; Science, Technology, Growth; Daily Life. N.B. This timeline ends with the year 1974.

A Few Words About Citation

You probably know that there are different styles, or systems, of citing ideas or quotations to document the works you use in your papers. MLA style is a popular choice in the humanities. Whichever style you choose, be sure to stick with it throughout your project.
A great web site for explanation and examples of works cited -- books, articles, electronic sources, etc. -- may be found on Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation Online. Next to HUMANITIES, select Documenting Sources. From the list on the right, select the mode of citiation you require. Scroll to the drop menu, and select.

Questions?

I encourage you to call me (3703), send email (jaaron@wheatoncollege.edu), or make an appointment to come to the Library for one-on-one consultation. My hours are M, T, Th, and F, from 10 to 4.
N.B. I am not in on Wednesdays.

This page is maintained by Judith Aaron. Last updated on 9/25/06.
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