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How to research an author or work
Need an author bio? Overview of a work? Critical reception over the years?
Authors and works over 20 years old:
There are books that literally do exactly this for you--start there (you may have to look in the index or browse the shelf to find what you need)
World Literature & Its Times Call Number: Reference 1st Floor 809 W893, 8 volumes (link is to British)
An 8-volume set that covers major pieces of literature (so look up the title of a work), placing them into greater context. Probably our best source for grasping the importance of a work.
Dictionary of Literary Biography Call Number: Reference 1st floor 809 D561, 200+ volumes
This multi-volume set of books has chapters that give you bio, work overviews, and critical context.
Credo Reference Find traditional and subject-specific encyclopedias in this huge encyclopedia database.
Authors and works from the past 10-20 years:
Interviews with the author on websites, podcasts, YouTube, newspapers, magazines, etc The author's own website Reviews in more standard publications, best bet is our ProQuest Central database
ProQuest Central The newspapers, journals, and mags in ProQuest are new enough to cover authors and works from the last 10-20 years.
Ready to get in-depth into an author or work?
Search OneSearch and WorldCat with keywords or subject terms. Or, figure out the location of one book on the shelves and browse the books next to it on the same topic.
Simply look at the call number of one relevant book, find that in person, and browse around.
WorldCat Search libraries around the world! Order for free using the ILL link.
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Find specific criticism or archival/primary sources
Specific Criticism:
Even current authors will be in the databases linked below; if not, revise your expectations to criticism in credible magazines and newspapers.
Know the difference:
A BOOK REVIEW is a critical examination of that book. While well-written, it is not a scholarly study and should not be cited.
LITERARY CRITICISM evaluates or analyzes works of literature and will be in a peer-reviewed journal research article or book.
MLA International Bibliography (EBSCO) Indexed books, articles and dissertations in modern languages, literature, folklore, and linguistics. Expect to ILL articles.
JSTOR Multidisciplinary full-text academic journals, books, and primary sources (usually excludes the past 2-5 years).
Project Muse *** Full-text scholarly sources in the humanities and social sciences.
Databases A-Z
Incorporate additional databases, such as the general ProQuest Central and the specific history databases, as appropriate.
Archival material or primary sources
Search online using keywords primary sources, archives, museum, site:org, or any combination plus your topic
Vogel Library, Wartburg College | 100 Wartburg Blvd, Waverly, IA, 50677 | Phone: 319-352-8500 | Email: asklibrarian@wartburg.edu
