Scholarly Criticism

Literary Criticism

Locate literary criticism by searching the databases listed below.

What is a database?

A database is a collection of citations, indexes, and/or full text for articles that originally appeared in journals, magazines, or newspapers.

Databases differ from catalogs. A catalog indexes books, DVDs, AV materials, music, and more so you can locate a record and then locate the item. Catalogs do not have full-text articles.

Database Access Off Campus

All of the databases provided by Hewes Library can be accessed from off campus.  To do so, follow these directions:

  • Select the database you wish to access from the Hewes Library website.
  • You will be prompted by a Monmouth College login screen.
  • Enter your MC network username and password.
  • Once logged in, use the resource as if you were on campus.

Recommended databases for language and literature research

Recommended databases for language and literature research

  • Read explanatory notes for each resource to evaluate the effectiveness for your topic.
  • EBSCO platform databases can be searched simultaneously; see how.
  • The library catalog should also be searched for books containing literary analysis.

MLA International Bibliography :Searches literary criticism indexed by MLA (Modern Languages Association) which includes international scholarly journals, academic books, conference proceedings and dissertations covering literature, language, linguistics and folklore. Coverage: criticism published 1920 to present.

Gale Literature : Contains full-text scholarly articles, critical essays, reviews, and biographies covering literature of all periods and genres. Searches Something About the Author (1971-2020), Contemporary Authors (2003-2014) and select Gale Ebook titles.Tutorial video.

JSTOR : A full-image (pdf) repository of over 2,600 scholarly journals and 48,000 eBooks in all disciplines. Coverage: varies; some holdings extend back to the 19th century.

Gale Literary Index  : Indexes all Gale series on literary criticism and biography, such as Contemporary Literary Criticism, Contemporary Authors, and Something about the Author, and many others. Provides citation only.

Something About the Author : A biographical and critical source on the lives and works of authors and illustrators of children's and young adult books. Searched within the large ebook database Gale Literature. Coverage: v.1 (1971) - v. 356 (2020).

Times Literary Supplement Archive : Full-text and fully searchable, the Times Literary Supplement (London) contains a wide variety of contemporary literary reviews. This resource can also be searched, along other resources, within Gale Primary Sources. Coverage:

What is MLA: Modern Language Association Database?

MLA International Bibliography 

Searches literary criticism indexed by MLA (Modern Languages Association) which includes international scholarly journals, academic books, conference proceedings and dissertations covering literature, language, linguistics and folklore. Coverage: criticism published 1920 to present.

MLA: Modern Language Association Database

Specifically, the MLA Bibliography helps you discover:

  • scholarly criticism in journal articles (citation only)
  • scholarly criticism in book chapters (citation only)
  • criticism in the areas of literary theory, literary criticism, folklore, linguistics, drama, rhetoric, and composition
  • criticism published from the 1920s to the present

Search Features

  • Basic search locates keywords in several fields of the database and can be very comprehensive, however, if the results are too overwhelming, consider an Advanced search
  • Advanced search allows focus on specific fields (like author of work, title of work) and can retrieve more relevant results. 
    • For example, if you are focusing on a specific literary work or author, use the Advanced Search to select Primary Subject Work or Primary Subject Author for more accurate results.  
      • e.g. Primary Subject Work = "Midnight's Children"        
      • e.g. Primary Subject Author = Rushdie
  • The MLA Thesaurus is an invaluable tool to discover words related to your topic. Find the Thesaurus link at the top of the search screen as pictured below. The video at right, "Keyword Search vs. Subject Search," will help in deciphering use of the Thesaurus and clarify the differences in these two types of searches.

thesaurus

MLA Search Tips (video)

Search Tips and Tutorials

Introduction to MLA Bibliography 

Keyword Search vs. Subject Search in the MLA International Bibliography from MLA International Bibliography on Vimeo.

Search Tips for the MLA International Bibliography from MLA International Bibliography on Vimeo.

What is Gale Literature?

Gale Literature This link opens in a new window

Contains full-text scholarly articles, critical essays, reviews, and biographies covering literature of all periods and genres. Searches Something About the Author (1971-2020), Contemporary Authors (2003-2014) and select Gale Ebook titles.Tutorial video.

What's in Gale Literature?

Gale Literature helps you discover:

  • scholarly criticism in journal articles (full-text)
  • scholarly criticism in book chapters (full-text)
  • criticism in the areas of literary theory, literary criticism, folklore, linguistics, drama, rhetoric, and composition
  • book reviews
  • encyclopedia and dictionary entries for background information
  • multiple Gale resources in one search, including:
    • Literature Resource Center (database)
    • Contemporary Authors (biographical information and literary criticism summaries)
    • Contemporary Literary Criticism (literary criticism excerpts)
    • Something About the Author (children's author/illustrator biographical information)

Searching

Basic Searching

Enter keywords in the search box at the top of the screen. Examples of searches may include:

  • Hemingway and gender
  • "For whom the bell tolls"

Advanced Searching

Buttons across the top of the screen provide a simple PERSON (author), WORKS (creative work), and TOPIC search.

In order to mix-and-match and target specific types of searching, the Advanced search boxes allow searching in the following specific FIELDS (see pull-down menu pictured).

  • BASIC or KEYWORD  =  Searches all fields of the record
  • NAME OF THE WORK  =  Enter the TITLE of the creative work (novel, poem, story) you wish to research
  • PERSON-BY or ABOUT  =  Enter the AUTHOR's name, i.e. who wrote the creative work
Literary Sources

Buttons across the top of the screen also provide a simple PERSON (author), WORKS (creative work), and TOPIC search.

    Literary Criticism Collections

    These resources INDEX literary criticism - the entries in these resources lead to critical texts in other sources.

    The collections publish portions of critical analysis of authors and their works. Use the series index near each print collection to locate a specific author. Using the citations found in these volumes, you will be able to locate the article or book in the Hewes Library (or via interlibrary loan or I-Share) and obtain the original critical source.

    These items are found in either REFERENCE or LITERARY CRITICISM collections on the main floor (as noted).  Contact a reference librarian for assistance in using these materials.

    • Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism, LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN681.5.C57 (latest volume 1988)
    • Contemporary Literary Criticism,  LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN771.5 C59 
    • Drama Criticism, LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN1601.D59 (latest volume 1991)
    • Encyclopedia of Literary Critics and Criticism,  REFERENCE PN 75. E53 E53 1999
    • Hispanic Literature Criticism,  REFERENCE PQ7081.A1.H573 1994
    • Literature Criticism from 1400 to 1800,  LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN700.L56 (latest volume 2002)
    • Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN 761. N5 (latest volume 2002)
    • Poetry Criticism, LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN 1010. P499 (latest volume 1992)
    • Short Story Criticism,  LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION  PN3373.S386 (latest volume 2003)
    • Something About the Author,  LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION  PN451.S6 (latest volume 2012)
    • Twentieth-century Literary Criticism,  LITERARY CRITICISM COLLECTION PN771.G27 (latest volume 1994)
    • Cambridge History of Twentieth-Century English Literature  PR471.C36 2004 (Upper Level Books)

    Additional Cambridge literature histories can be found in the Hewes Library catalog by searching "cambridge literature history" in the TITLE field. Note the publication date, subject/topic heading, and table of contents to understand coverage of particular volumes.

    Additional Databases for Literary Criticism