ENGL 786: Introduction To Graduate Study: Reference Resources
Research Design and Writing
- Department of ECL Dissertation and Thesis CollectionDissertations and theses completed 2006-present are made available in the Carolina Digital Repository. You can also narrow your results by resource type, advisor, or date.
Literary Research Guide by Call Number: A non-circulating print copy can be found at the Davis Library Service Desk, but it exists freely online (linked above).ISBN: 9780873528085Publication Date: 2008-01-01James L. Harner's Literary Research Guide, which Choice calls "the standard guide in the field," evaluates important reference materials in English studies. Since the publication of the first edition in 1989, tens of thousands of students and educators have used the Guide as an aid to scholarly research. In the new edition Harner has added entries describing resources published since May 2001 and has revised nearly half the entries from the fourth edition. The fifth edition contains more than 1,000 entries, which discuss an additional 1,555 books, articles, and electronic resources and cite 723 reviews. Readers of earlier editions will notice the inclusion of substantially more electronic resources, particularly reliable sites sponsored by academic institutions and learned societies, to account for the proliferation of bibliographic databases, text archives, and other online resources. This edition also features a new section on cultural studies.
The Craft of Research, Fourth Edition by Call Number: The library has both print and e-copies of several editions (the most recent of which is linked above).ISBN: 9780226239569Publication Date: 2016-10-19With more than three-quarters of a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has helped generations of researchers at every level--from first-year undergraduates to advanced graduate students to research reporters in business and government--learn how to conduct effective and meaningful research. Conceived by seasoned researchers and educators Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams, this fundamental work explains how to find and evaluate sources, anticipate and respond to reader reservations, and integrate these pieces into an argument that stands up to reader critique. The fourth edition has been thoroughly but respectfully revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald. It retains the original five-part structure, as well as the sound advice of earlier editions, but reflects the way research and writing are taught and practiced today. Its chapters on finding and engaging sources now incorporate recent developments in library and Internet research, emphasizing new techniques made possible by online databases and search engines. Bizup and FitzGerald provide fresh examples and standardized terminology to clarify concepts like argument, warrant, and problem. Following the same guiding principle as earlier editions--that the skills of doing and reporting research are not just for elite students but for everyone--this new edition retains the accessible voice and direct approach that have made The Craft of Research a leader in the field of research reference. With updated examples and information on evaluation and using contemporary sources, this beloved classic is ready for the next generation of researchers.
Reference Resources
- Oxford Bibliographies OnlineProvides sophisticated online recommendations to the core scholarship on a subject as determined by experts in the field. Each module constitutes a convenient and comprehensive introduction to the essential body of literature that has shaped research on a topic. At the click of a mouse, you therefore have 24/7 access to expert recommendations that have been rigorously peer-reviewed and vetted to ensure scholarly accuracy and objectivity.
Each OBO subject database allows you to identify the core authors, works, ideas, and debates that have shaped the scholarly conversation so you can find the key literature. All the bibliographic essays have been peer-reviewed, and the specific entries are linked to full-text content available through the web or the UNC Library. The "My OBO" feature also allows you to create a personalized list of citations. - Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and CriticismThis resource for scholars and students of literary theory and discourse has been revised extensively to reflect rapidly changing scholarship. The Guide presents a historical survey of the field's most important figures, schools, and movements.
The Very Short Introduction Series from Oxford University Press (various print and ebook copies)
Very Short Introductions is a book series published by the Oxford University Press. The books are concise introductions to particular subjects, intended for a general audience but written by experts. Most are under 200 pages long.
Cambridge Companions (online)
A series of authoritative guides, written by leading experts, offering accessible introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.
The Year's Work in English Studies from Oxford University Press (online) and The Year's Work in Critical and Cultural Theory from Oxford University Press (online)
These publications provide comprehensive summaries and analyses of the most important developments, research findings, and trends in a specific field of study over the course of a year.
- Oxford Dictionary of National BiographyNational record of men and women who have shaped British history and culture, worldwide, from the Romans to the 21st century. Now provides links for the biographee to the Bibliography of British & Irish History, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Archives, Who Was Who, etc.
- Oxford African American Studies CenterCombines a rich array of historical and cultural information about the African American experience with selected primary documents, web sites, and maps. The material is compiled by Oxford University Press from their many reference works, such as Africana, Encyclopedia of African American History, various Oxford Companions, and the African American National Biography.
- Gale Literature Resource CenterOffers a wealth of critical and biographical information about more than 120,000 authors from the Classical period to the present. It provides several hundred thousand full text journal articles and other critical essays, thousands of plot summaries and links to authoritative Web sites, over 100,000 author biographies, several thousand author portraits, and the Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature.
- ProQuest One LiteratureIncludes and expands upon resources from ProQuest Literature Online (LION). Includes literary criticism as well as primary texts and reference works. Contains 3 million literature citations from a wide range of sources such as scholarly journals, monographs, and dissertations, along with more than 500,000 primary works – including rare and obscure texts, multiple versions, and non-traditional sources like comics, theatre performances, and author readings. Features notable collections from Chadwyck-Healey, such as African American Poetry, American Drama, and English Poetry. Provides access to the ABELL (Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature) index of bibliographic citations for literary criticism.
UNC Writing Center
- The Writing CenterVisit UNC's Writing Center to make appointments, find writing tips, and access handouts useful for writing literature reviews and research papers.
- Graduate Student ResourcesUNC Writing Center resources and services specifically for graduate students
Citing
Library Data Services
Library Data Services cater to researchers interested in working with data, mapping, texts, visualization, and technology. Many of these services are available online. Davis Library Data Services, located on the second floor of Davis Library, offers:
- A computing lab with specialized software for GIS and data visualization & analysis.
- Walk-in assistance provided by knowledgeable student consultants during set hours.
- Consultations with specialists for more in-depth inquiries (by appointment).
- Spaces for collaboration and presentation, complete with white boards and external displays.
- Technology workshops focused on working with data (manipulation, visualization, mapping).