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English Research Guide: Databases

This research guide features resources and strategies for finding information and conducting research related to English.

DATABASES FOR LITERARY RESEARCH

Databases provided by the Jerry Falwell Library can assist you in conducting literary research.

Databases in the left column are specific to literature. Databases in the right column are general databases but have a strong literature component.

Databases focused on specific literatures or literary time periods are listed under the Specialized Databases tab

FEATURED LITERARY DATABASES

The databases listed here are focused on many types of literature

Featured Databases

Gale Literature

Gale’s literature includes: Literature Criticism Online, Literature Resource Center, and more. It covers authors and their works, literary movements, genres, book reviews, full text of literary works, journal articles, literature criticism and analysis, reviews, author biographies, and more

Language & Literature (Formerly Lives of Literature - JSTOR)

Features academic journals covering writers and core literary movements

MLA International Bibliography with Full Text

Scholarly books and articles related to global literatures and languages, including the MLA Thesaurus and the Directory of Periodicals

Scribner Writers Online

Bio-critical essays on the lives and works of important authors from around the world

Twayne's Authors Online

Critical introductions to the lives and works of major writers of the world, including close analysis of key work

Additional Databases

 Cambridge Core

Peer-reviewed journals and e-books published by Cambridge University Press including Shakespeare studies, literature and classics. 

Literary Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia of refereed reference articles related to literary and cultural history

Loeb Classical Library

Up-to-date texts and accurate English translations of all important aspects of Greek and Latin Classical heritage.

MagillOnLiterature Plus

Full text articles on authors important to the areas of fiction, poetry, drama, and philosophy. Also contains critical analyses and brief plot summaries.

New York Review of Books

Articles on current books and issues by world-renowned literary and thought leaders with coverage back to 1963 (Updated biweekly)

Oxford Scholarship Online - Literature

 Focuses on works of literary criticism.

 

 

GENERAL DATABASES - With strong literary components

These resources contain information on a broad range of subjects but also have a strong literature component.

General Databases

Academic Search Ultimate

Contains full-text journal articles in social sciences, humanities, multicultural studies, education, and more

JSTOR

Provides full-text access to back issues of journals in the humanities, including over 3,000 language and literature titles.

ProQuest Central

Full-text scholarly journals covering all major subject areas, including the humanities

E-Books

ACLS Humanities Ebooks

Full-text e-books on topics in the humanities

Gale E-Books

Full-text, academic e-books, including reference materials, covering a wide range of topics

Ebook Central (ProQuest)

Extensive collection of multidisciplinary e-books

Ebook Collection (EBSCO)

Scholarly e-books covering many different subjects

Targeted Content

Biography (Gale in Context)

Full-text biographies, including articles, videos, audio selections, images, and primary sources, of people from all time periods and areas of study

Papers First

Index of papers presented at conferences worldwide

Project Muse

Full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly books and journals in the humanities and social sciences 

Salem Press 

Critical Insights for various authors, literary themes, specific works, and full access to Magill Literary Annuals from 1977 to 2021