Library Research Guides: WRIT 120: Critical Interpretation (Wall-Randell): Home

Background & Overviews

Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
Biographies, topic overviews, reviews, and scholarly analysis of authors and works from all genres, eras, and regions of the world.

The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics
Over 1,100 entries on the history, theory, technique, and criticism of poetry, including coverage of more than 100 nations, regions, and languages.

Key Databases for Literary Criticism

Databases can contain a combination of full-text articles (ready to read online) and/or citation information about articles, book chapters, or books.

MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
This is the most comprehensive database for finding scholarly articles, books, and book chapters on literature and related fields, from the latest scholarship back to the 1880s. Use the "Find it! @Wellesley" link to get the full text. If we don't have it, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan.
Literature Online (LION) This link opens in a new window
Literary criticism from over 400 journals, along with thousands of literary texts from 1600 to the present. Focused on literature in English. Includes the Cambridge Companions, a series of accessible introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.
Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
Biographies, topic overviews, reviews, and scholarly analysis of authors and works from all genres, eras, and regions of the world.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
This database contains scholarly journal articles in many disciplines, including literature and history. For most journals, it does not contain articles from the most recent 3-5 years.
Project MUSE This link opens in a new window
Books and journal articles in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

Key Databases for Historical Research

America: History & Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Peer reviewed articles and book reviews of American and Canadian history, prehistory to present and searchable by historical time period.
Historical Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Peer reviewed articles and book reviews of world history (excluding the US and Canada), 1450 CE to present and searchable by historical time period.

Find Books in the Catalog

Key Databases With Primary Source Materials

Early English Books Online This link opens in a new window
EEBO is a full text primary source archive of nearly every book published in English in the Early Modern period. It covers all subjects including literature, science, religion, politics, and more.
Dates: 1473-1700 CE
America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Full text of more than 1,000 historical U.S. newspapers. Contains Early American Newspapers, 1690-1922, and African American Newspapers, 1827-1998.
Dates: 1690-1998 CE
British Periodicals This link opens in a new window
Full text of nearly 500 British journals, magazines, and newspapers covering literature, philosophy, history, science, arts, and social sciences.
Dates: 1681-1939 CE

For more about primary source materials and databases with primary source materials, visit these research guides:

Search Tips

Use synonyms and truncation to find the different ways your topic might be expressed—computers are very literal
Combine multiple concepts using AND / OR for best results

sample topic: Cultural identity in the poetry of Li-Young Lee

(identity OR self) - synonyms

AND (cultur* OR ethnic* OR immigra* OR Asian American) - truncation

AND Li-Young Lee

AND poetry

Not finding enough, or found an item that's checked out?
Search WorldCat and request a copy.

WRIT 120: Critical Interpretation (Wall-Randell)

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