WHAT IS LITERARY CRITICISM?

It involves the study, evaluation, and analysis of literary works. There are many different approaches to studying literature, but this guide will emphasize how to locate detailed explanations about a specific text.

WHAT BOOKS DESCRIBE HOW TO DO LITERARY RESEARCH?

Baker's A Research Guide for Undergraduate Students: English and American Literature (Ref. PR 56.B34), provides an overview of the process and materials involved in literary research.

HOW DO I FIND DEFINITIONS OF LITERARY TERMS?

As you read materials, terminology used in the literary field might be unfamiliar. To help you understand these words, use Holman's A Handbook to Literature (Ref. PN 41.H6).

HOW DO I LOCATE BOOKS OF CRITICISM OR BIOGRAPHIES ON MY AUTHOR?

Use the Library Catalog and NetLibrary to find information in books.  Do a subject search on the author's last name.

HOW DO I LOCATE CRITICISM ON A SPECIFIC WORK?

Most criticism can be found by using an explicator. An explicator is a reference book for a genre, such as poetry or short stories, that identifies where you can locate criticism in books or periodicals on specific works.

To use an explicator, follow these steps: (1.) Determine the genre of the literary work (poetry, short stories, etc.). (2.) Determine the nationality and dates of your author. (3.) Select the appropriate explicator based on the information above. (4.) Locate the author's last name. (5.) Find the title of the work. (6.) Determine which criticisms are from books and which are from journals. Journal article titles are in quotation marks and include volume numbers. (7.) Locate the criticism in the library by searching the Library Catalog. For journals, do a title search on the name of the journal (t/college english). For books, search by either the title or author. (8.) Use Interlibrary Loan to request items not available at NSU. Request this service at the first floor Reference Desk.

To determine which explicator indexes your literary work, consult the Literary Criticism Index (Ref. PN 523.W44). Also, Magill's Bibliography of Literary Criticism (Ref. PN 523.M25) includes criticism on all types of literature. Other explicators which include several genres include, American Ethnic Literature (Ref. PS 153.M56P43 1992) and A Bibliographic Guide to African-American Women Writers (Ref. PS 153.N5J67 1993).

HOW DO I FIND CRITICISM ON SHORT STORIES?

For a plot summary and quick overview to a short story, try Masterplots (Ref. PN 3326.M27 1986). Also available in MagillOnLiterature Plus.

For the location of more in-depth discussions, use Twentieth Century Short Story Explication (Ref. PN 3373.W33).

Example:
STEINBECK, JOHN

"The Chrysanthemums"
Beach, Joseph W. American Fiction..., 311-314. (book)

Sweet, Charles A. "Ms. Elissa Allen and Steinbeck's 'The Chrysanthemums,'" Mod Fiction Stud, 20(1974), 210-214. (journal)

HOW DO I FIND CRITICISM ON PLAYS?

Use the explicators listed below.

Drama Criticism (Ref. PN 1721.C65)
Dramatic Criticism Index (Ref. PN 1861.B8)
European Drama Criticism (Ref. PN 1721.P2 1977)
Guide to American Drama Explication (Ref. PS 332.O84 1995)

There are separate explicators for such authors as William Shakespeare (Ref. PR 2894.C53 1993), and Tennessee Williams (Ref. PS 3545.I5365G85 1991).

HOW DO I FIND CRITICISM ON POETRY?

Try the explicators listed below.

American and British Poetry 2vols. (Ref. PS 303.A44 1984)
Guide to American Poetry Colonial (Ref. PS 201.R66 1989)
Guide to American Poetry Modern (Ref. PS 221.L46 1989)
Guide to British Poetry 4 vols. (Ref. PR 311.M34 1991)

There are separate explicators for some authors such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Ref. PR 4194.D66 1993) and Emily Dickinson (Ref. PS 1541.D83 1993).

HOW DO I FIND CRITICISM ON NOVELS?

For a plot summary and overview to a book, see Masterplots (Ref. PN 44. M33), Masterplots II (Ref. PN 846.M37 1986), or Contemporary Literary Criticism (Ref. PN 771.C59). The Masterplot titles are also available on MagillOnLiterature Plus.

For a review of a book, use Book Review Digest (Index Z 1035.A1C95).

For more in-depth criticism, see the sources listed below.

American Novel (Ref. PS 379.G46)
Contemporary Novel (Ref. PS 379.A34)
Continental Novel (Ref. PN 3451.F57 1983)
English Novel Explication (Ref. PR 821.P26)

HOW CAN I FIND PERIODICALS ON MY TOPIC?

<>Many of the explicators listed above index periodicals as well as books. However, useful indexes to consult include the following:

Academic Search Premier
<>The Humanities Index<>
M.L.A. Bibliography<>

Search the author's last name and a prominent word from the title to find criticism on a specific work. (example:  hemingway and bell)

WHAT DO I DO IF I CAN'T FIND CRITICISM ON MY SPECIFIC WORK?

Try to locate criticism on other literary works by the same author. Another approach is to find biographical materials about the author. An index to many biographical sources is Biography and Genealogy Master Index (Ready Ref. CT 214.B57). This index will direct you to a source that contains biographical information about your author. Examples of biographical sources are listed below.

American Authors, 1600-1900: A Biographical Dictionary
Ref. PS 21.K8
British Authors Before 1800 Ref. PR 105.K9
British Authors of the Nineteenth Century Ref. PR 451.K8 1936
Contemporary Authors Ref. PN 451.C58
Dictionary of Literary Biography Ref. PN 451.D32
MagillOnLiterature Plus

Other useful sources of information include studying the subject of your work. For instance, if your literary work is about the Viet Nam War, find resources about the war that might be reflected in the poem, short story, novel, or play.

You may also study the time period in which the poem was written. The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (Index AI 3.R48), the New York Times Index (Index AI 21.N44), and The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates (Ref. E 174.5.C3) are useful for exploring the time period.

WHERE CAN I FIND THESE MATERIALS IN THE LIBRARY?

The call numbers are listed in the parentheses. The prefix "Ref" identifies a reference book on the west side of the first floor. Ready Reference is located behind the first floor reference desk. The prefix "Index" identifies indexes located by call number on the east side of the first floor.

ARE THERE ANY SOURCES ON THE INTERNET THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL?

Check the library's English Resources Web page for suggestions of useful sites.

WHERE CAN I LOCATE A STYLE MANUAL FOR ENGLISH TERM PAPERS?

The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Ready Ref. LB 2369.G53) explains how to list your sources in a bibliography. (Check M.L.A.'s website, also.) For help in citing resources, try the KnightCite Bibliography Machine.

WHERE CAN I GO FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE?

Consult a librarian located at the first floor reference desk; consult the Need Help page: the library's tutorials; or the subject librarian, Sarah Brick Archer.

This page was created is and maintened by Sarah Brick Archer. Last updated on September 11, 2007.