Libguides: 603-LPE-MS: Power of Representation (Carrier): Selected Reference sources

Reference databases

The Library's online reference databases can be a great source for brief, authoritative information about authors and their works. The following reference databases contain plenty of material relating to literature.

Encyclopedia Britannica This link opens in a new window
Encyclopedia Britannica is a general encyclopedia that contains brief information on a wide range of subjects. It's a good starting point for any type of research.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Gale eBooks is a collection of over 300 specialized reference sources on a wide range of topics. Of particular interest to this course will the the Literature offerings, especially Novels for Students and The Reference Guide for Short Fiction, For those researching The Bible, The Encyclopedia Judaica and the New Catholic Encyclopedia will be very useful. For those researching The Lone Ranger, take a look at The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Oxford Reference contains more than 200 specialized reference titles. You can search all 200 titles at once, or search by specific discipline (e.g. literature, medicine and health, music, etc.).
Salem Press Online This link opens in a new window
Salem Press Online is a platform for specialized reference works from Salem Press and Grey House Publishing.The works that will be of interest to you in this class are:
- Masterplots, 4th edition, with 2010-2018 supplement . This work is a collection of 2407 essays about English-language and world literature. Each essay examines a literary work in detail, giving plot synopses, critical theories about the work, and resources for further reading.
- Critical Survey of Shakespeare's Plays. Contains summaries of each of Shakepeare's play, brief critical insights into each work, and a bibliography for further research.

Print reference sources

All of the following Reference Sources can be found on the Main Floor of the Library.

Note that, while all of these sources remain available to you, current Covid protocols mean that any item used in the Library must be quarantined for 24 hours before another student can use it.