LITERARY CRITICISM RESEARCH October 26, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Help with Assignments.add a comment
Here are some suggestions for students in American Lit, World Lit, and Brit Lit who are beginning their literary criticism research papers. Don’t hesitate to stop by the library if you need more help finding resources.
BACKGROUND READING
Background reading on your author can provide information on the author’s life, the publishing history of the book, literary terms associated with the author and his/her works (genre, literary movements, themes, style, etc.) and any adaptations of the work. Use Britannica Online (http://www.school.eb.com) or a print encyclopedia (find them in the Res Library at REF 031). If you use a print encyclopedia, look up your author in the index volume. That way you’ll find all of the references to your author in the entire set and you will have a greater understanding of their writing and their significance. If you use an online encyclopedia, read all of the entries that come up in the Results list, not just the first one.
Check if there is an entry for your author in American Writers (REF 810.9 AME) or British Writers (REF 820.9 BRI). These entries are a terrific introduction to your author so although they might be quite long, they are well worth the effort. If you print out the information on your novel or play from the Gale Literary Index (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitIndex) , you will know exactly which volume to check.
REFERENCE BOOKS
There are several series of reference books you can consult, either in the Res Library or at your local public library. The printout from the Gale Literary Index (http://www.galenet.com/servlet/LitIndex) will come in handy here once again, especially to find critical essays in Contemporary Literary Criticism, Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism, and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism.
- American Writers (REF 810.9 AME)
- British Writers (REF 820.9)
- Literature and Its Times (REF 809.93 LIT)
- World Literature and Its Times series (REF 809 MOS)
- Contemporary Literary Criticism (REF 809.3 CON)
- Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (REF 809.3 TWE)
- Great World Writers : Twentieth Century (REF 809.04 GRE)
- Dictionary of Literary Biography
- Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism
Browse the 800s in the Reference section for other possible sources. Your public library has many more sets and series that will be useful, so don’t neglect a trip there.
CIRCULATING BOOKS
Depending on your author and title, you may find entire volumes of literary criticism devoted to that work. Or you may find books about your author containing a chapter or two about the particular work you are researching. The Subject Heading format for finding literary criticism about an author or about a particular work is as follows:
[author's last name, author's first name] — Criticism and interpretation
[author's last name author's first name]. [title of the work] — Criticism and interpretation
Use the Res Library catalog or your local public library catalog to search for books of literary criticism by selecting the Browse feature and entering a Subject search for the author’s name (last name, first name). The Browse features lists all of the Subject headings in a row and you can scroll down the list to see if there are Subject headings that match the formats shown above. Then click on that Subject heading to get the list of books. It sounds complicated but it’s really a quick way to find critical essays. If you need a demonstration, stop by the library. Here are the web addresses for some of the local public libraries:
- Chicago Public Library (http://www.chipublib.org)
- Niles Public Library (http://www.nileslibrary.org)
- Park Ridge Public Library (http://www.parkridgelibrary.org)
There are several series of books of literary criticism, either about all of the author’s works, or about a single work. There are even some books that focus on a specific literary character. Search for books edited by Harold Bloom or for books in the Twayne’s series, e.g. Twayne’s United States Authors, Twayne’s English Authors, Twayne’s World Authors, etc.
RES LIBRARY DATABASES
The Res Library subscribes to a number of databases and two of them will be of particular use to you in this research project. If you don’t have the usernames and passwords for these databases, stop by the library and pick up a blue sheet. We’d be happy to give you a little demonstration if you’re having trouble using either one of these databases.
- Gale Literature Resource Center (http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/reshs) contains biographical materials, literary criticism, and other material. At the Basic search screen, enter the title of the book you are researching and click the radio button for Name of Work, then click the Search button. The Topic & Work Overviews and Literature Criticism tabs will be the most helpful to you. Look at the right side of the Results list for more information to help you decide whether or not you want to look at the article. The Reviews & News tab can lead you to reviews of books of literary criticism about the author or the work. Then you can decide if it’s worthwhile to try and find that book.
- FirstSearch (http://firstsearch.oclc.org) is really a number of databases under one umbrella. You can search up to 3 databases at one time. For literary criticism, your best bets are WilsonSelectPlus, ECO, and ArticleFirst. Once you login, click on the List All Databases link. To select a database to search, click in the checkbox to the left of the database name. Once you have selected your databases, click the Select button. Click on the Advanced Search link; this will give you more control of your search and better results. In the first search box, put in the name of your author (last name, first name). From the drop-down menu to the right, select Subject because you want articles about your author, not articles written by that person. In the second search box, enter the title of the work you are researching and put the title in quotation marks. This will help narrow your search to articles that at least mention the particular book or play you are researching. You will (hopefully) get a list of “hits.” Click on the title of an article to get more information about that article; most article citations have at least an abstract or summary to help you get an idea of what the full article is about. Some articles have a link for View Full Text in HTML format and/or View Full Text in PDF format. You can click on those links and get the full text of the article. If you have an option, choose PDF. Some articles in your Results list will only have a link that says See more details for locating this item. If you think the article will be useful to you, print out the citation and bring it to the library and we will request a copy of the article from another library.
This is just a basic introduction to these two databases. If your class doesn’t come to the library for an introduction to finding critical essays, stop by the library on your own for some help. We are open from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on most days. And don’t forget to use the databases available through your local public library.
CITING YOUR SOURCES
Your Writing Stylus will help you follow the MLA format in citing your sources and creating your bibliography. The library has the latest edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (REF 808 GIB). In addition, here are two websites that can help:
- Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University is an excellent resource to consult (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/)
- Oregon School Library Information System provides a nice set of examples of MLA citations in a PDF document (http://old.oslis.org/docs/MLAcitexamprtnprt8-07.pdf).
SOME TIPS FOR RESEARCH
- Collect the information for your bibliography as you go. It takes so much more time to backtrack and figure out where the notes or printout or article came from than to write down the citation information you need right from the start.
- Use bibliographies in books, articles, and websites to help you find more resources. Even if a book wasn’t helpful, check the bibliography or Works Cited or Further Reading pages.
- Research takes time — lots of time! Don’t procrastinate.
This is a big project so make sure you stop by the library throughout your research and writing process and let us know how we can help.
GREEK-ROMAN MYTHOLOGY October 26, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Help with Assignments, Web Resources.add a comment
For Ms. Boe’s World History students, here are the links from the handout you received during my presentation in the library. Consult the handout for the best way to use some of the resources listed below.
Please come and see us in the library if you have questions or need help. If you didn’t receive a blue sheet with the usernames and passwords for the subscription databases, stop by the library to get one.
Don’t forget to use the books and subscription databases available through your local public library.
Britannica Online (http://www.school.eb.com)
Daily Life Online (http://dailylife.greenwood.com)
EBSCO Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com)
Bulfinch’s Mythology on Bartleby.com (http://www.bartleby.com/bulfinch/)
Encyclopedia Mythica (http://www.pantheon.org)
British Museum — Ancient Greece (http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Ancient History – Greeks (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/)
Minnesota State University — Ancient Greek Civilizations (http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/)
Tufts University Perseus Digital Library – Hercules (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/)
World News Network – Ancient Greece (http://www.ancientgreece.com)
Theoi Greek Mythology (http://www.theoi.com)
Exploring Ancient World Cultures (http://eawc.evansville.edu/grpage.htm)
U.S. Census Bureau – U.S. Gazetteer (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/gazetteer/)
Librarians’ Internet Index (http://www.lii.org)
Internet Public Library Pathfinder on Greek Mythology (http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48479/)
Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/)
Oregon School Library Information System (http://www.oslis.org/resources/cm/apacitations/)
CHEMISTRY OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES October 20, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Help with Assignments, Web Resources.add a comment
For students in Chemistry classes, here are some suggestions for places and ways to search for information for your project on the chemistry of Christmas cookies. Don’t forget to invite your helpful Library staff to the cookie exchange!
Some things you might need to be researching:
- basic ingredients (see the list from your teacher);
- ingredients specific to your cookie;
- heat and its effects: conventional oven, microwave oven, baking, frying, “no-bake”;
- order of mixing ingredients;
- grouping of ingredients in a recipe: wet, dry, etc.;
- processes: whipping, creaming, refrigerating before shaping;
- reactions in mixing and preparing
- reactions in the oven or other heating process
Not all of these things will affect the chemistry, but some might, so you want to consider them.
Some search terms you might want to try for Keyword and Subject searching:
- chemistry AND cooking
- science AND cooking
- chemistry AND cooking AND cookies
- molecular gastronomy
- Food — Analysis
- Food — Composition
- food AND chemistry
- [specific ingredient] AND chemistry
You can use these terms in library catalogs and subscription databases and search engines on the web. Some will work in some places and some in others. Try a few searches and see what you end up with. The word “AND” should be written that way. It is a Boolean operator and tells the database or whatever you are searching that you want the terms on either side of the AND to be in the same article, webpage, record, etc. It is a way to help focus your search and narrow the list of results.
Some places to search or resources to use (and maybe some help with search techniques):
- Britannica Online (http://school.eb.com) Get a blue sheet from the Res library with the username and password for this subscription database. This is an online encyclopedia. Use the “High School” level and just enter baking in the search box. The baking article has good introductory information The Table of Contents for the article is listed along the left-side and you can expand the topics by clicking on the + sign next to each topic.
- On Food and Cooking : The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee. Updated edition published by Scribners in 2004 (9780684800011). Many, many public libraries have this book. It is used as the textbook for the “Kitchen Chemistry” course taught at MIT.
- EBSCO Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com) Get a blue sheet from the Res library with the username and password for this subscription database. Once you login, click on the EBSCOhost Research Databases link to get to the Science Reference Center.
- The Accidental Scientist : The Science of Cooking from the Exploratorium (http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/) Look at the section on Eggs and Bread. Also click on the Ask the Inquisitive Cooks icon on the right-side of the main page and look at the topics in their archives.
- When examing books you’ve found through searching library catalogs, use the book’s Table of Contents and index to find out if the book has information that will be useful. Don’t forget to look at the bibliography in books and articles to help you find more information.
- How Baking Works (http://www.baking911.com/howto/how_baking_works.htm) from the Baking 911 website. This site is authored by Sarah Phillips, a cookbook author, speaker, and consultant.
- Butter Through the Ages (http://www.webexhibits.org/butter/) Click on the Composition link and work through the sub-pages for more detailed information. This site is sponsored by the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement.
- Cook’s Illustrated magazine from America’s Test Kitchen. They have a Food Science section in the magazine, but you will have to find a public library that keeps the back issues since online access is only available to magazine subscribers. Use the online listing (http://www.americastestkitchen.com/foodsciencelist.asp) to find relevant articles and then look for the print copy. If you find an article you want, come and see us in the library and we will try to get it for you through interlibrary loan.
- BakeWise by Shirley Corriher, published by Scribners in 2008 (9781416560784) Corriher is a former research biochemist and the book’s strength is in the explanations of the underlying principles of baking. This book should be available at many public libraries.
- Good Eats by Alton Brown, both his books and episodes from the TV program. There’s an episode called “The Cookie Clause” that looks promising if you can find it.
- readings and related resources from the “Kitchen Chemistry” course at MIT. The course materials are available on their OpenCourseWare site (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Special-Programs/SP-287Spring-2006/CourseHome/index.htm)
- King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Companion cookbook (9780881505818) and King Arthur Flour’s Cookie Companion cookbook (9780881506594) Both of these books are produced by the King Arthur Flour Company of Vermont and while they are primarily filled with recipes, there is also a great deal of background information on baking. Find them at your public library.
I know this has been a long post, but I hope it has been useful to you. If you have questions or run into problems, please come see us in the library.
TEEN READ WEEK October 19, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Reading Recommendations.add a comment
Teen Read Week, which is sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) started yesterday. TRW is a celebration of, you guessed it, teen reading! I hope you’ll check out the programs and events at your local public library. The Library Club here at Res has invited librarians from the Niles and Park Ridge public libraries to come and talk about some new books they are recommending.
This year’s theme for TRW is “Read Beyond Reality” and I thought I’d share a couple of books I’ve read recently that I thoroughly enjoyed and that fit with this theme.
Singing the Dogstar Blues by Alison Goodman. This book is set in a future Australia where time-travel student Joss Aronson is teamed up with Makvel, an alien who has come to earth to study. It’s a kind of sci-fi thriller that works because Joss is such a great character. She’s smart and sarcastic and about to be expelled from yet another school, but she’s also courageous and kind-hearted and willing to risk everything for what is right.
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Although this is the 3rd book in the series (following The Thief and The Queen of Attolia), you don’t need to have read the first two to enjoy this one. Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, having married the Queen of Attolia, is now installed as the King. But some in the Queen’s court and some neighbors and rivals of Attolia, are doing their best to get rid of him. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor in the interactions between the King and Queen and how that humor was a sign of the strength of their relationship. I also identified with Costis, a good and loyal foot soldier whose determination to do the right thing played a crucial role in support of his Queen and King against those who would sacrifice others for their own self-interest.
Feed by M.T. Anderson. Like Singing the Dogstar Blues, this book is set in the near future, a future where most people have computer implants in their brains — “The Feed.” Titus meets Violet at a party on the moon and the book traces their relationship as Violet’s “feed” begins to malfunction. It’s an intriguing, yet discomforting, story as you see how easily people give up thinking for themselves.
One that I haven’t read yet, but is on my list, is Terrier by Tamora Pierce. This is the first book in a new series that connects with Pierce’s character, Alanna. School Library Journal summarizes the plot as follows:
“Orphaned Beka Cooper, 16, is a trainee-a “Puppy”-in the Provost’s Guard. Having spent the first half of her life in Tortall’s slums, she is driven by the need to do what is right and see justice done. Paired with two of the best Guards, or “Dogs,” in the organization and aided by her own gifts of magic, Beka learns her job, makes friends with two mages and a thief, and uncovers two serial killers who prey on the poor and unnoticed.”
I’ve not read any Tamora Pierce and I’m looking forward to “reading beyond reality” in her new book!
DIVORCE PROJECT October 1, 2009
Posted by Ms. Klemundt in Help with Assignments.add a comment
For students in Ms. Boe’s Sociology class, here are the links I promised to post for you. You will need our Username and Password to access the subscription databases. You should have received a blue sheet listing all the Usernames and Passwords when you visited the library with your class. Consult the hand-out you received for suggestions about how to best use these resources. If you find an article you need, but it’s not available in the database in full text, print out the citation and bring it to the library and we will try and get it for you through interlibrary loan.
Res Library’s Creating Your Bibliography web page (http://www.reshs.org/snav/164/page.htm)
Res Library’s Online Databases web page (http://www.reshs.org/snav/162/page.htm) This page contains links to all of our subscription databases.
Readers’ Guide Full Text Select (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)
FirstSearch (http://firstsearch.oclc.org)
Current Issues : Reference Shelf Plus (http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/)
EBSCO Science Reference Center (http://search.ebscohost.com/)
CQ Researcher Online (http://library.cqpress.com/)
Issues & Controversies (http://www.fofweb.com/)
Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com)
Purdue OWL APA Formatting and Style Guide (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01)
Purdue OWL MLA Formatting and Style Guide (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01)
