As indicated in the assignment for the second essay, you are required to include one (1) in-text citation in your essay. In other words, you are required to find an essay from a reputable source that deals with (analyzes, interprets, contextualizes, etc.) the poem you are discussing and include a quotation from that source in your essay.
As mentioned, when conducting research on a piece of literature, you should attempt to confine your research to reputable sources. In general, books and journals are considered reputable sources, while magazines and newspaper articles are considered non-reputable sources. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, so if you find something that you would like to include in your paper as a secondary source, feel free to discuss the matter with me.
As you may or may not know, Harper's library subscribes to several academic databases, many of which contain full-text reprints of scholarly articles from reputable journals. In general, you will want to conduct your research by using these resources.
Here are a few tips for conducting research online through Harper's library:
1.) Academic Search Complete is an excellent resource for finding literary criticism. Here is how you access the database:
- From the library's home page, click on "Articles & More"
- From this page, click on "Academic Search Complete"
- From this screen, you will enter your search terms. However, before you enter your search terms, be sure to click on "Advanced Search" and note that there is an option to limit your search to "Full Text" as well "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals." Be sure to click on both of these options. Also, keep in mind that it is often useful to combine search terms with an "AND" in order to refine your search results. So, for example, if you are conducting research on Sylvia Plath's "Daddy," the following search will yield the most relevant results: Plath AND daddy.
- For a useful vodcast on using "Academic Search Complete," please click here
2.) MLA, JSTOR, Literature Resource Center, and the Literary Reference Center are also excellent databases. These databases can be accessed in the same manner as Academic Search Complete.
3.) Books are also good. If you conduct a search of the library's catalog, you will undoubtedly find a wealth of relevant material, including collections of essays on specific writers and histories of specific literary periods.
|
