World Literature: English 2110: Research

• Reference Guide to World Literature- Look up world authors such as Homer.
• Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History- Look for information on civilizations such as the Sumerians.

Use these online resources for background information. The links provide will take you to GIL-Find, then you can click on the electronic link.

• Gale Virtual Reference Library- Online encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia of Religion and others provide background on topics such as Gilgamesh or various topics from the Bible.
• Oxford Classical Dictionary- Look up Plato, Socrates, etc.
• Literary Reference Center- Search any topic such as Gilgamesh or Egyptian poetry.

Brainstorm possible search terms for your topic. Keep in mind that you may need to simplify long phrases by breaking them up into separate search terms or smaller phrases.

Consult background information. Specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries and guides are a great time saving tool. Many of these are located in the Reference Collection on Library North 2.

These sources provide topical overviews, summarize basic concepts, and are filled with names and events you can use as keywords in your searching. Many encyclopedia articles also include carefully selected bibliographies that will lead you to additional resources.

ANDs and ORs and NOTs. You will need to combine your search terms with connecting terms (called "Boolean operators"), such as AND and OR. Use AND between terms to narrow a search and OR between terms to broaden a search. See the online video below to learn more about how to use Boolean operators.

Be flexible as you settle on a final topic. Do a few preliminary searches in the library catalog or article databases before commiting to a topic. Make sure you can locate primary sources. You may find that you need to narrow or broaden your focus.

Cite as you go. Even if you're not sure whether you will use a source, it's much easier to note the citation information up front than to decide you need it later!