English Literature Guide Ask Us

This guide presents various types of resources that you can find through the Library for research in English literature. You'll find a brief description of each type of source below.

When researching a new topic, it's usually best to follow the process of moving from general (background) sources to gradually more specific (detailed) sources. This is why we highly recommend that you start with the Encyclopedias, etc. tab, and then move through the other tabs from left to right. To learn more about how to conduct library research, visit our Research Help page.

Encyclopedias etc.
These resources will give you overviews of your subject, define terms, list useful books and journals, and help you frame your topic. Start with these and return to them when you encounter concepts or terms later in your research that you don’t understand.

Find Books
Books generally provide more in-depth information on your topic. Scan the table of contents and the index of the books you find, to see if they focus on your topic or on aspects of it.
 

Find Articles
Journal articles are shorter than books, and tend to provide less background information and focus instead on very specific topics.
 

Citing Your Sources
Learn how to cite the sources you use using MLA format.
 

Primary Sources
These are original documents (e.g., letters, newspapers, diaries, etc.) from various historical periods.
 

If you need help using this guide, please don't hesitate to contact your local librarian, Erik (Fredericton) or Nicole (Saint John).

When researching a new topic it is often necessary to get an overview, explanations of unfamiliar terms, or brief factual information. The print and electronic resources listed below include selected reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopaedias, handbooks, guides, and standards) for the field of English Literature. To find additional reference materials, check UNB WorldCat (the library catalogue), explore Encyclopedias, etc on the library website, or try our Guide to Finding Reference Materials. 

Key Resources

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To search for books at UNB Libraries, first use the library's online catalogue, UNB WorldCat. UNB WorldCat (searchable below) searches for books and other materials held at UNB Libraries and other institutions worldwide. 

Bibliographies list publications that have been written about a particular subject, including books, journals, government publications, etc. Annotated bibliographies provide concise summaries of what has been published in a given area.

• The Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature
  HIL-REF PR83 .H24 1998
• The Twentieth-Century English Novel: An Annotated Bibliography of General Criticism
  HIL-REF PR881 .C35
• The Romantic Movement Bibliography, 1936-1970; A Master Cumulation from ELH, Philological Quarterly, and English Language Notes
  HIL-REF PN603 .R54
• Literary Research Guide: an Annotated Listing of Reference Sources in English Literary Studies
  HIL-REF PR83 .H24 1998

When searching for journal articles, an indexing and abstracting database is usually the best place to begin. Below are some recommended databases for research in English Literature. For other databases, check the Article Databases page of the library website.

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Accurate, properly formatted footnotes, reading lists, and bibliographies are hallmarks of good academic research. Through citing, you acknowledge the source of any ideas you mention in your writing, document your research, and provide the information your readers need to track down your sources.

Numerous citation styles exist, and each specifies what elements are required (title, author, journal name, etc.) and how the citation should be formatted. The standard citation style for English Literature is MLA, but your instructor may require or recommend that you use another. Consult your course syllabus or check with your instructor to be sure of using the correct citation style for your assignment.

Use these resources for guidance on proper citation:

• The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) guide to MLA 9th edition
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 8th edition
  HIL-REFDSK LB2369 .M52 2016    or    HWK-REF LB2369 .G52 2016
• I Wish I'd Said That: Plagiarism, Quoting, & Citing Sources

As of spring 2021, the MLA Handbook is in its 9th edition; however, there are only two differences between the 8th edition and 9th edition for citation:

1) in works cited entries for MLA 9th edition, you should write the DOI number for a journal article from a database as a web address, e.g. https://doi.org/10.1162/tneq_a_00903, and use a permalink only if no DOI is provided.         

2) the works cited entry for a film should begin with the title of the film, rather than the director's name. If you streamed the film, include just the name of the streaming service, not a URL. E.g. 

Black Panther. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures, 2018. Netflix. 

Citing Indigenous Knowledges

Indigenous scholars have long pointed out the ways the rules of academic citation styles can be exclusionary. Following the existing rules, it can be difficult to grant Indigenous knowledges, particularly oral teachings, the respect they deserve. In 2021, Lorisia MacLeod of the James Smith Cree Nation published templates for citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers in various citation styles. MacLeod's complete article is available here. 

Here is her template for MLA format:

Last name, First name. Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. City/Community they live in if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Date Month Year.

For example: 

Cardinal, Delores. Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. 4 April 2004.

Text collections offer online access to a variety of primary source materials, including images of rare or early imprints, full-text transcriptions of letters and correspondence of major literary figures, and electronic versions of scholarly editions of literary works.

Some key text collection for English literature are listed below. To find additional text collections, check the list of Article Databases, or contact Research Help for assistance.

Key Resources