Research Guide: Literary Criticism
Getting Started :: Finding Books :: Finding Articles :: Journals :: Citing Sources :: Web Resources


Introduction

This page includes a general introduction to resources in Literary Criticism. If you cannot find what you are looking for on this page, or if you have a specific research need in mind, please consult a Reference Librarian.

Library liaison to the English Department: Marcia Dinneen, Reference Librarian.
Getting Started: Selected Reference Resources

The following is a select list of some significant reference books in Literary Criticism.

Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC)  Ref PN94 .C65
Critical Survey of Drama  Ref PN1625 .C68 2003
Critical Survey of Poetry  Ref PN1021 .C7 2003
Critical Survey of Short Fiction  Ref PN3321 .C7 2001
Drama Criticism  Ref PN1601 .D59
Poetry Criticism  Ref PN1010 .P62
Short Story Criticism  Ref PN3373 .S386

Finding Books in Maxwell Library

To find books, you may search Webster, our online catalog, browse our shelves for titles, or look up Recent Acquisitions in Webster.

Subject Headings
Library of Congress subject headings can be used when searching Webster as well as many of Maxwell Library's online databases. For individual authors, under the author's name, such as Faulkner, William, 1897-1962 Criticism and interpretation. For types of literature, for example: English poetry 19th century History and criticism or American fiction 20th century History and criticism.
Call Numbers
Books about and with Literary Criticism can be found under the following Library of Congress Call Numbers: PN, PR, and PS. Circulating books in the PN, PR, and PS call number ranges above can be found in the stacks on the Third Floor of Maxwell Library. Reference materials with these call numbers can be found in the Reference Department on the First Floor of the library.

(These suggested Library of Congress call numbers are for shelf browsing purposes only, and are by no means comprehensive.)

Finding Articles: Indexes, Abstracts, and Online Databases

Indexes and Abstracts are tools that help you locate journal, magazine and newspaper articles, and in some cases, chapters in books, conference proceedings, etc.

Maxwell Library's print indexes and abstracts are located on the First Floor; our online databases are accessible to Bridgewater State College students, faculty, and staff from any computer with Internet access (username and password required).

Off-Campus Access: If you are off-campus, you must first go to the BSC Off-Campus User Login.

For Literary Criticism
TitleFormatDatesSearch Guide
Abstracts of English StudiesPrint1958-1991N/A
Academic OneFileOnlineVariesN/A
Academic Search PremierOnlineVariesEBSCOhost Tutorials
Contemporary Literary CriticismOnlineLimited 1998-N/A
Essay and General Literature IndexPrint1900-N/A
Expanded Academic ASAPOnlineVariesN/A
Humanities IndexPrint1974-1994N/A
MLA AbstractsPrint1970-1974N/A
MLA International BibliographyPrint1921-1996N/A
MLA International BibliographyOnline1963-EBSCOhost Tutorials
For Book Reviews
Book Review DigestPrint1906-N/A
Book Review IndexPrint1913-1995N/A
Historical New York TimesOnline1851-2002N/A
National NewspapersOnline1985-N/A
New York Times IndexPrint1913-1995N/A
LexisNexis AcademicOnline1980-(Lexis-Nexis)
New York TimesOnline1999-(Proquest)

Journals

To locate specific journals and newspapers, search the A-Z Journal and Newspaper Title List by title or subject category. This database includes a complete list of print, microform, and electronic full-text journals and newspapers available from Maxwell Library. Specifically, the following subjects are selected:
American Literature
English Literature
Literature History and Collections

Citing Sources

Citation guides contain examples showing how to cite sources in APA, MLA, and Turabian style formats.
Selected Web Resources

Last Modified: November 3, 2009