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The best way to start a research project is by reading overviews of your topic. An overview is a text that summarizes the basic facts about your topic (Encyclopedias, textbooks, study guides).
An overview is just a starting point. Don't cite overviews. They don't provide any original information, only a condensed summary of what other people have said about the topic. Instead, read the overview and write down clues that you could search for on the library website or in library databases, to find sources that you can cite. You might find important names of people, places, and things, as well as other keywords or sources to search for.
This page has great examples of reference books for the following:
Theory & Terms ♦ General Criticism ♦ Drama & Poetry ♦ Genre Fiction
Can't find what you're looking for? Check out these guides or ask your librarian for more help!
The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms by
Like its highly praised and widely adopted predecessor, the second edition of The Bedford Glossary presents definitions of more than 700 literary and critical terms for today's student. The second edition features many additional terms, both traditional and recent, with a greater array of examples that make it an even more useful and informative reference than before.
A Glossary of Literary Terms by
Also available in the stacks
First published fifty years ago, A GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS remains an essential text for all serious students of literature. Now fully updated to reflect the latest scholarship on recent and rapidly evolving critical theories, the ninth edition contains a complete glossary of essential literary terms presented as a series of engaging essays that explore the terms, place them in context, and suggest related entries and additional reading. This indispensable, authoritative, and highly affordable reference covers terms useful in discussing literature and literary history, theory, and criticism. Perfect as a core text for introductory literary theory or as a supplement to any literature course, this classic work is an invaluable reference that students can continue to use throughout their academic and professional careers.
Key Terms in Literary Theory by
Also available as an ebook
Students of literature, film and cultural studies need to understand key theoretical terms and concepts but often find it hard to get to grips with exactly what they mean. This book provides precise definitions of terms and concepts in literary theory, along with explanations of the major movements and figures in literary and cultural theory and an extensive bibliography. It is designed for the student who needs to know what a particular term means, how it is used, and where it comes from, and enables them to apply the terms and concepts to their own investigations. The three part structure provides clear definitions of key terms and ideas, introductions to major figures including biographical and historical overviews and an annotated guide to important works. This invaluable resource provides readers with an easily accessible and comprehensive reference guide to literary and cultural theory.
Encyclopedia of Literary Critics and Criticism by
First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism by
Selected by Choice Magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism has become the indispensable resource for scholars and students of literary theory and discourse. The long-awaited second edition includes 48 new entries and subentries and has been revised throughout, taking account of ten years of rapidly changing scholarship. While concentrating on the explosion of contemporary critical and theoretical works, the Guide presents a comprehensive historical survey of ideas and individuals ranging from Plato and Aristotle to twentieth-century scholars. It includes more than 240 alphabetically arranged entries on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods. It also examines developments in other disciplines which have shaped literary theory and criticism. An international, encyclopedic guide to the field's most important figures, schools, and movements, the new edition reflects the state of literary theory and criticism.
Critical Survey of Drama, Fourth Edition by
Also available as an ebook
The new fourth edition of The Critical Survey of Drama contains over 650 new and updated essays--over 550 discuss individual dramatists and nearly 100 cover important overview topics that are critical to the study of drama as a whole. This new edition is newly arranged by World Region and essay type to further enhance its ability to help students and researchers expand their study of dramatists around the globe.
Critical Survey of Poetry by
The Critical Survey of Literature series brings to libraries in-depth analytical reference guides to the major writers of world literature. The series has an accessible style and format that allow readers to zero in on precise characteristics of an author's work rather than merely receive a generalized discussion.
Poetry Criticism by
Poetry Criticism assembles critical responses to the writings of the worlds most renowned poets and provides supplementary biographical context and bibliographic material to guide the reader to a greater understanding of the genre and its creators. Each entry includes a set of previously published reviews, essays and other critical responses from sources that include scholarly books and journals, literary magazines, interviews, letters and diaries, carefully selected to create a representative history and cross-section of critical responses. Although poets and poetry are also covered in other titles from the Gale Literature Criticism series, Poetry Criticism offers a greater focus on understanding poetry than is possible in the broader, survey-oriented entries in those series. Clear, accessible introductory essays followed by carefully selected critical responses allow end-users to engage with a variety of scholarly views and conversations about poets and their works. Students writing papers or class presentations, instructors preparing their syllabi, or anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the genre will find this a highly useful resource.
Anatomy of Wonder by
Barron's classic work has been updated and reorganized to reflect changes in the genre over the past decade, and meet the needs and tastes of today's readers and those who work with them. Renowned experts in the field have contributed to this new edition, providing authoritative historical and contemporary coverage of the best in science fiction. Users will find succinct, critical discussions of more than 1,400 SF novels, story collections, and anthologies. In addition, there is a comprehensive survey of the secondary literature-books and other resources that discuss fantastic literature, film, and illustration-plus chapters on teaching SF and a directory of libraries containing significant collections of science fiction. Titles appropriate for or appealing to teens are noted, as are award-winning titles and titles of literary merit. Author, title, and theme indexes provide additional points of access. An essential tool for collection development, research, and reference, this book also supports readers' advisory work. Young adult and adult. Grades 9 and up.
Gothic Writers by
Also available as an ebook
With its roots in Romanticism, antiquarianism, and the primacy of the imagination, the Gothic genre originated in the 18th century, flourished in the 19th, and continues to thrive today. This reference is designed to accommodate the critical and bibliographical needs of a broad spectrum of users, from scholars seeking critical assistance to general readers wanting an introduction to the Gothic, its abundant criticism, and the present state of Gothic Studies. The volume includes alphabetically arranged entries on more than 50 Gothic writers from Horace Walpole to Stephen King. Entries for Russian, Japanese, French, and German writers give an international scope to the book, while the focus on English and American literature shows the dynamic nature of Gothicism today. Each of the entries is devoted to a particular author or group of authors whose works exhibit Gothic elements, beginning with a primary bibliography of works by the writer, including modern editions. This section is followed by a critical essay, which examines the author's use of Gothic themes, the author's place in the Gothic tradition, and the critical reception of the author's works. The entries close with selected, annotated bibliographies of scholarly studies. The volume concludes with a timeline and a bibliography of the most important broad scholarly works on the Gothic.