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English Subject Guide

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Where do I start my research?

What are some good general Web sites?

How do I find books on my subject?

What are some specialized subject websites?

How do I find journal articles?
(Databases)

How do I cite and manage my sources?

Past exams

For help:
Email: MML.Reference@utas.edu.au
Phone: 6226 2229
Email: 
Ltn.Reference@utas.edu.au
Phone: 6324 3139

Go to:
Morris Miller Library

Launceston Library
School of English, Journalism & European Languages

Contact:  
Roger Carter Liaison Librarian,  Hobart
Susan Bell Liaison Librarian, Launceston

Related Guides: Journalism  ; Screen Studies

Where do I start my research?

A good way to start your research is to define your topic by using subject dictionaries and to find background information in encyclopaedias. The library holds a very large collection relevant to all aspects of English studies. This includes many general and specialised dictionaries and encyclopaedias as well as. Some examples are: 

The English Style Book: A Guide to the Writing of Scholarly English/Robert Clark

 
Glossary of Poetic Terms by Robert G. Shubinski  
Oxford English dictionary. 2nd ed
OED Online
Morris Miller Ref PE 1625 .O87 1989
Ltn Ref 423 O98 1989

Oxford companion to American literature. 6th ed.

Morris Miller Ref PS 21 .H3 1995
Ltn Ref 810.3 H325o 1965 (4th ed.)

Oxford companion to English literature. 6th ed.

Morris Miller Ref PR 19 .H3 2000
Ltn Ref 820.3 O98 2000

Cambridge companion to Australian literature

Morris Miller Ref PR 9604.3 .C36 2000
Ltn Ref A820.9994 C178 2000

Oxford companion to Australian literature. 2nd ed.

Morris Miller Ref PR 9600.2 .W54 1994
Ltn Ref A820.9 W672o 1994

Oxford literary history of Australia

Morris Miller Ref PR 9604.3 .O94 1998
Ltn A820.9 O98l 1998

Encyclopedia of world literature in the 20th century (4v)

Morris Miller Ref PN 771 .E5 1982
Ltn Ref 803 E56 1967

Feminist companion to literature in English : women writers from the Middle Ages to the present

Morris Miller Ref PR 111 .F4 1990
Ltn Ref 820.99287 B634f 1990

The Library also  has an extensive collection of  indexes and bibliographic guides
Some examples we hold are: 

New Cambridge bibliography of English literature.

Morris Miller Ref Z 2011 .N45
Ltn Ref 016.82 N532 (5v)

Book review index
BRI online

Morris Miller Ref Z 1035 .A1 B6 1969+

The year's work in English studies
Online: 1919-present

Morris Miller Ref Z 2011 .Y4 1919+ (in store)
Ltn Ref 820.9 4b 1969-1980

The titles above are just a small sample of our holdings, so students are encouraged to browse the Reference area in the call number areas in the tables below to gain an overview of the range of resources available.

  
A  recommended guide to the literature of English is:
Literary research guide : an annotated listing of reference sources in English literary studies / James L. Harner. 3rd ed. New York : Modern Language Association of America, 1998. Morris Miller Ref Z 2011 .H34 1998

The Gale Literature Criticism  series of reference books is also particularly useful. We also have the online version, Literature Resource Center. There are many different titles covering different subjects and time periods. Example include Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism and Contemporary Literature Criticism. They contain useful critical essays. A free online Literary Index to the full series is provided by the publisher. Most of the titles in the series are held in the Morris Miller Library.

The Encyclopedia Britannica online is a good starting point for many topics and includes links to selected full text journal articles for each topic.
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How do I find books on my subject?

To find books on your subject you can: 

search the  Library Catalogue using  the 'subject keyword' or 'general keyword' option. 
OR
browse the bookshelves using these call numbers:

Morris Miller Library, Hobart:

P

Language and literature

PN

Literary history and collections (general)

PN 1990-1999

Radio, television & film

PR

English literature

PR 9180-9199.3

Canadian literature in English

PR 9600-9619.3

Australian literature

PS

American literature

Z

Bibliography 

Z 2010-2015

Bibliography of English literature and poetry

Z 4021-4024

Bibliography of Australian literature and poetry

Launceston Library:

400

Language 

410

Linguistics

420

English & Old English languages

800

Literature

810

American literature in English

820

English literature

821

English poetry

822

English drama

823

English fiction

A820

Australian literature

 

Note:  As English studies often involve other subject areas, you must be careful to include these in your information searching when relevant. For example: Feminist studies at HQ, Cultural theory at HM, Philosophy at B.
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How do I find journal articles?

The Library holds journals in print and electronic formats.
The best way to locate articles in journals is by using the databases listed below. When you find an article you want to read, use the Library Catalogue to see if we hold a print copy or have access to the electronic copy in full-text. You can also search for e-journals in your subject from our E-journals page.

Subject-specific Databases | Multi-discipline databases | Electronic journals and texts | Journal title abbreviations

English Studies Databases:

Some databases listed will have direct links to the full-text article.

MLA International Bibliography

Bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore. 1960+
CSA Help sheet

Literature Resource Center (Gale) Vast collection of full text resources on all aspects of literature. Includes more recent volumes of several of the Gale literature series such as Contemporary Literature Criticism and others. Links to full text journals.

AustLit -The Australian Literary database

Provides authoritative information on almost 370 000 works of creative and critical Australian literature - published in a range of print and electronic sources - and more than 60 000 Australian authors and literary organisations, from 1780 to the present day. Some full text links.

Shakespeare Collection (Gale) Remarkable resource for Shakespeare research, including the Arden Shakespeare Complete Works. Full text links

Multi-discipline Databases:

Project MUSE

Full-text academic journals in the humanities

JSTOR (collections i, ii,iii,iv & complement) Full text archival backfile for hundreds of major humanities journals. JSTOR Description

Web of Science

Citation database of core academic journals in all subjects. Incorporates Art & Humanities Citation Index. 1991+ 
Help sheet  

APA-FT - Australian Public Affairs Information Service-Full Text

Index and full text articles on the social sciences and humanities from a wide range of periodicals, newspapers, scholarly journals, conference papers and books. Current affairs, economics, humanities, law, literature, politics and social sciences.1978+
Informit help

19th Century Masterfile

A vast "Index of Indexes", and is the largest resource for research prior to 1925. Brings together over 60 subject indexes to British and American books, newspapers, periodicals and more. It includes links to the full text archive of the Making of America (MOA) project.

ANZ Reference Centre

General database with some full-text Australian literary journals. Features the full text of all Australian News Ltd newspapers for the last 4 years as well as The Age and Sydney Morning Herald for the last five years.

ProQuest

Good starting point to find references and full-text journal articles in popular and academic journal articles. 
Help sheet

Electronic journals and texts:

Jacket Magazine

John Tranter's Australian literary e-journal. Includes useful Australian literary links and Overseas literary links and e-journals.

Project Gutenberg of Australia

Full text e-books: Australian writers, works about Australia and works which may be of interest to Australians.

Bibliomania

Literary resources including freely accessible texts, many with study guides.

Eserver

Original publications on literature, cultural studies, feminism, gender studies and much more. (U.S. emphasis)

Journal title abbreviations:

All That JAS: Journal Abbreviation Sources

Web pages that list journal title abbreviations. 

Periodical Title Abbreviations

Comprehensive list arranged by full title and abbreviated title. Held at library Information or Service desks 

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Useful Web Sites

Web site directories | Associations | Citation style and reference management

General web site directories:

OzLit

More than 500 pages of Australian literary information. A site for and about Australian writers

Australian Literature on the Internet

Links to Australian literary information from the National Library of Australia

Australian writers' homepages

E-texts and/or information about the writer. Some are produced by the writers themselves, others are not.

Poets Web pages (Australian )

Websites by and about Australian poets.

RAAM :The Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts

RAAM is a guide to collections of personal papers and non-governmental organisational records held by Australian libraries and archives

Intuit -English Studies

Hand picked high quality web sites (U.K. emphasis)

Academic Info : English Studies

A very extensive list of good sites.

The Booklist Center

More than 250 lists of award winning books arranged in over 60 categories. Lists include all major literary and publishing prizes.

Weblinks/English/Literature

Links to resources on Chaucer, Shakespeare, Joyce, Conrad, Austen and many more, including the e-journal Early Modern Literary Studies.


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Specialist web sites

Jane Austen Study Resources

A recommended site for Austen students. 

New Chaucer Society

A forum for teachers and scholars of Geoffrey Chaucer and his age. Includes link to Chaucer Bibliography Online .

Geoffrey Chaucer Website

Very impressive site from Harvard University. Includes full text Canterbury Tales with interlinear modern translation.

Theory.org.uk

David Gauntlett's diverse site on Theory, Gender and Identity resources. Special sections devoted to Foucault, Adorno, Giddens, Judith Butler and Gramsci. as well as topics such as "role models", queer theory, identity and media.

Literary Theory links: English @ ANU

A comprehensive set of links to sites on major literary theorists.

Scribbling Women

Online resources for teaching American women's literature using dramatizations

The Modern Word

Devoted to 20th century experimental literature. Recommended for but not limited to postmodern studies. Special sections devoted to Samuel Beckett, Jorge Luis Borges, Umberto Eco, Gabriel García Márquez, James Joyce and Thomas Pynchon

The Luminarium

Three sites in one covering Medieval, Renaissance and 17th C British literature. Texts, essays, articles, secondary sources and biographical material on each author.

The Literary Gothic

"the web's premier guide to the Gothic literature". A very large collection of e-texts, many only available here. Also has a guide for research and links to resources such as societies and discussion groups.


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Association websites


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How do I cite and manage my information resources?

Below are guides to citation styles and other aspects of presentation. The MLA style is the usual standard for most English studies publications. 

EndNote is personal bibliographic software designed to manage your sources when undertaking advanced studies. The Library provides training in EndNote for postgraduates and staff.

MLA handbook for writers of research papers / Joseph Gibaldi. 6th ed.

Morris Miller Ref LB 2369 .G53 2003
Ltn Ref 808.027 G437m 2003

Referencing using  the MLA style(pdf) Written by Dr E. Leane (English) for UTas students

A Guide for Writing Research Papers

Based on Modern Language Association
(MLA) Documentation:  from the Capital Community College, Hartford, Connecticut

The English Style Book: A Guide to the Writing of Scholarly English/Robert Clark Part of the Literary Encyclopedia site

NoodleTools

Create and edit MLA-style bibliographies

Citation styles for online resources  

This site includes examples of citing sources from the Web using MLA, APA, and Chicago style guides.

Library holdings of citation style guides

This list includes guides to citation and other issues of style and presentation.

EndNote Introductory Guide 

The purpose of this guide is to accompany  workshops and outline the most basic functions of EndNote for the beginner.