Literary Criticism Resources

ENG113 Library Session Handout Fall 2009 [PDF]  

Find Critical ARTICLES:

To find critical journal articles, search the online databases suggested below.
You will need passwords to access the databases from off-campus.

Literature Databases: 

• Literature Criticism Online (Gale)
  Comprehensive coverage of critical essays from the Contemporary Literary Criticism and Short Story Criticism series.
• Literary Reference Center (EBSCO) 
  Provides literary information from antiquity to the present day; includes information from books, major literary encyclopedias, reference works, and journal articles.

General Topic Database:

This database covers many topics, including literary criticism.

• Academic Search Premier

Important search tip:
To find critical articles, type in the author or title you are looking for and “criticism.”

Examples:
"kate chopin" AND criticism
"story of an hour" AND criticism

See more database search tips...

Gale Literature Series in PRINT:

The following series are available on the 2nd floor in the REFERENCE section of PCC Library:

• Contemporary Authors (CA) REF PS 129 .C6x
  Biographical information on current writers.

• Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB) REF PN 441 .L573
  Essays on authors from all genres and time periods in American and British Literature.

• Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC) REF PN 771 .C59
  Includes criticism of authors now living or who died after December 31, 1999.

• Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism (TCLC) REF PN 771 .G27
  Includes criticism of authors who died between 1900 and 1999.
   

Gale Literary Index
This online index is a great way to find out what authors or works are included in any of the Gale Literature Series.

Articles in any series that are not found in PCC Library can be ordered from another library through INTERLIBRARY LOAN. However, you must allow at least 2 weeks for articles to arrive.

Find BOOKS with Criticism:

Online Library Catalog
Use the online library catalog to search for materials in the library such as books, videos, etc.

If you are looking for:

• a book with a specific title, do a TITLE search.

• a book by a specific author, do an AUTHOR search.

• a book with biographical or critical information about a particular author,
  do a SUBJECT search using the author’s name.

• a book with literary criticism on a particular author, do a WORDS OR PHRASE search using the author's name and the word "criticism."
  
  Example: kate chopin AND criticism

 Get information on how to:

• search the Pitt library catalog.
• search for and place holds on items at the other libraries that share our catalog.

NetLibrary
Online full-text versions of selected books; includes fiction and nonfiction (including some literary criticism). You will need a password to access this database from off-campus.

MLA Citation Help:

• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers  (6th and 7th editions are available.)There are copies located on the second floor of the library in Reference and the General Collection.
  7th edition (2009) - LB 2369 .G53 2009
  6th edition (2003) - LB 2369 .G53 2003

• Cite Your Sources (MLA)
  This website was created by a PCC Librarian and includes examples of how to cite various resources.

Need Help?  Ask a Librarian!