Locating Books by Using ToroFind Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC):

ü       Use keywords or Library of Congress Subject Headings to find books with literary       criticism, critical or biographical information about an author, or information about a
      literary movement.

ü      Search any author's first and last names as subject keywords when looking for       critical literature about that author's works.

ü     Example of a typical "author as subject" entry (last name first):

      Joyce, James, 1882-1941--Criticism and interpretation

ü   Use the "Advanced Search" screen to combine title and author information or
      to combine concepts

Here are other sample Library of Congress Subject Headings (aka LCSH):
( Ask Library Reference staff for the "big red books" that list subject headings)
Don't bother to type dashes and commas when you type a search into the catalog.

ü       Quests (Expeditions) in literature

ü      Myth in literature

ü       Heroes in literature

ü       Feminist criticism

ü       Travel in literature

ü    Archetype (Psychology) in literature

ü       Ibsen, Henrik-1828-1906--Peer Gynt

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 To use CSUDH databases while you're off campus, Adobe Acrobat Reader software
      (v. 7.0 or later) must already be installed on the computer you use.
      Many articles are available only in .pdf (portable document format) format,
      and Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read and/or print them.
      Get a new Adobe Acrobat Reader free at       http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

  If you need help logging in to CSUDH databases, click here.

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Recommended Electronic Databases for Literary Research:

• Click on a link below to access the database of your choice or use our comprehensive list of
  Article Indexes to see all available CSUDH databases.
  
• For an in-depth review of how to use databases to find journal articles, click here.
  
• Note: In general databases such as Academic Search Premier and Humanities Full Text,
  you may limit your results to peer reviewed articles by looking for the words "scholarly"
  and/or"peer reviewed" and placing a check in the box beside these words (you can also
  do this in MLA).
  
  
  
• MLA International Bibliography: (indexed bibliographic records, no abstracts;
  occasional links to full text) of scholarly research in literature, language, linguistics,
  and folklore from 1963 to date. 
  The CSUDH Library also has paper volumes of MLA International Bibliography
  back to 1921!
  Note: As MLA Bibliography is the database of the Modern Language Association,
  (not-for-profit organization committed to the study and teaching of language and literature),
  it should be the first place graduate English students check for electronic resources!
  (see Searching the MLA, below)
  
   
• JSTOR:  indexing and full text of back issues of 70 frequently used language and
  literature journals, e.g.:  Shakespeare Quarterly, 1950-2001; suplies citations and
  abstracts only for 2002-2005 issues. (see JSTOR Tips, below). Most JSTOR language
  and literature titles are now indexed in MLA Bibliography.
  
  
• Academic Search Premier: indexing, abstracts and high percentage of full text articles
  from journals in social sciences, humanities,   education, computer sciences, language and
  linguistics, arts & literature, and ethnic studies.



•  Humanities Full-Text (part of the larger database, Omni Full Text Mega): covers 1984 to
  date; includes indexing, abstracts and selected full text in Archaeology, Area Studies, Art,
  Classical Studies, Communications, Dance, Film, Folklore, Gender Studies, History, Journalism, Linguistics, Literary & Social Criticism Literature, Music, Performing Arts, Philosophy, Religion
  and Theology; contains selected full text from 1995-date.
  
  
• Digital Dissertations (citations, abstracts, 24 page previews and as well as full text of many
  theses and dissertations from 1,000 grad schools and universities
  Full text of recent CSUDH theses is at CSUDH Digital Masters Theses.
  
  
• Literature Resource Center (Gale Group): access to biographies, bibliographiesand critical
  analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline; covers over 90 000 novelists, poets,
  essayists, journalists and other writers, with additional in-depth coverage of 2500 of the
  most-studied authors; good for an initial search or for use in conjunction with MLA, but not
  sufficient on its own when you need comprehensive results.
  
  
• Project MUSE: includes indexing and full text of almost 70 drama, language and literature
  journals published by Johns Hopkins U. Press.
  
  
• Oxford Journals: website of a major publisher of academic journals, many of which relate to
  literature studies.

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 Searching the MLA International Bibliography:

·         How do I get to the MLAIB (without using the link above)?

1.        Go to the library website.

2.       Under Find Library Materials, Click Journal Articles and        Electronic Resources.

3.       Click on the "Alphabetical List of Journal Indexes." button.

4.       Click on "M", move your cursor down to MLA Bibliography & click it.

·         Does the MLAIB include any full text journal articles?

Yes, but fewer than 20% of the records for journal articles include actual links to full text.

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 How to Do an Article Search in MLAIB:

·         MLAIB is not case sensitive.

·         Write down the most important key word or words that describe your topic.       Whenever possible, list synonyms for each word. The resulting words and /or       phrases are your search terms.

·    Type a word or phrase into the top Find box that describes what you are looking for: e.g.:  Ulysses

Viewing the Results of a Search:

·         After entering your search terms and parameters, click the Search button.

·         The Result List will appear in table format listed by date, most recent first.
       (Optional: you can also sort articles by relevance or other criteria-see "Sort by" box,        top RH of each Results page)

·         (Optional) You can click on the Add  folder icon to the right of each result to collect all       of the best results from searches for viewing/saving/printing in a folder.

§         Each record in the Result List shows search terms highlighted in bold italicized type. Here are the two possible options, at least one of which will be offered on the last line of each record:

1.   PDF Full Text or HTML Full Text -links to Full Text articles from other EBSCO databases and electronic journals to which we subscribe.

2.  The blue "Check Availability..." icon appears after articles for which the MLAIB database itself includes only a citation, in other words, full text is not included in the journal index!  However, full text MAY appear in hard copy somewhere in the Library OR in a completely different journal index. Click to find out!

3. Records without links of any kind are usually records of book chapters or dissertations. Check for books by title and/or author of book (after IN: in the database record) in the Library catalog .

4. You may request dissertations and theses on Interlibrary Loan (if they are not already available through Digital Dissertations ).

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 Q.What if the CSUDH Library does NOT own in any form a specific book
     or journal article that I need?
    A. Fill out an online Interlibrary Loan request form!

    To request a book, you can either:

*     look the book up in LINK+ , and, if it appears there, place a request with one of our     fellow LINK+ campuses. (these books usually arrive here within three to five days)

OR

*    click the Other Library Catalogs and Information bar at the bottom of the CSUDH University Library Catalog web page and check for holdings at other academic or large public libraries you can visit in person

OR
*  use the online ILL book request form to submit an electronic request.

   To request an article, you can either:

*   request an article directly when the message
Full Text of Article is NOT available in CSUDH Library
Click HERE to request item from another library
appears after you click the blue "Check Availability" icon.

OR

*   use the online ILL article request form to submit an electronic request.

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 How do I Use the MLAIB Thesaurus?

§         If you are not sure of the correct descriptor (subject heading) for the topic you are       investigating,  the Thesaurus will help you find it.
     The Thesaurus currently contains 49,000 topical terms and 327,000 names.

o        Click the Thesaurus button on the green toolbar at the top of the screen.

o        In the box below the green Thesaurus tab, type a term for which you would like to identify a subject heading into the Browse box and click beside the Alphabetical or Relevancy Ranked radio buttons.

o        Click the Browse button.

o        You will see your term as used in the database, or the correct term for your search term, as well as a list of narrower, broader and related terms.

You can click directly on these terms, check the boxes beside them to search a combination of terms or cut and paste them into the search screen where you are working.

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 Can I Save, Print and / or Email Search Results?

         You can print, e-mail and save most individual articles, abstracts, and folders by clicking
         the appropriate commands on the EBSCO screens..

   PDF article exceptions:

o        to safely  email an article in .pdf format, open it, save it and e-mail it as an     attachment.

o        a .pdf article longer than 10 pages usually will not fit on a floppy disk.

o        save or print a .pdf article by clicking the appropriate icon closest to the            open full text  article (using the File/Save/Print menu will NOT work)

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  How do I find an article in a specific journal?

 e.g.: Find an article in the Winter, 2003, issue of Papers on Language and

       Literature  entitled: Performance Anxieties by Tim Conley.

              - type Papers on Language and Literature in the top "Find"  text box

              -click the dropdown box to the right to read SO Journal_Title.

        -click the dropdown box at the beginning of the second line to read And            

              -type Performance Anxieties in the "Find" text box on the second line

              -click the dropdown box at the end of the second line to read Title

         -type Conley in the Find box on the third line

         - click the dropdown box at the end of the third line to read

            AU_  Author.

              -click the Search button.  

If the above procedure does not find the article, go to the Find a Specific Article page and try the procedure in section B.

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  Film Review Resources

·         Journal Article databases:

      §        MLA International Bibliography:

           -excellent source for locating scholarly reviews of noteworthy films
            in humanities journals and monographs.

           Model search statement:

                       Film       in SU_Subjects-All

                AND Troilus and Cressida in SU_Subjects-All

           §         Academic Search Premier:

          -check box to limit search to peer reviewed journals

§         Humanities Full-Text:

          -set "Document Type" to Film Review

 

·         Reference Books (on Library 2nd floor, west of reference desk):

§         Film Review Index (2 vol.)

       Citations to criticism of popular and landmark films; covers news and popular        magazines as well as trade publications

       Call Number: REF. PN1995 .F54 1986

§         Index to critical film reviews in British and American film periodicals.
      Stephen Bowles, ed. (3 vol.)
      Indexes reviews in 31 scholarly film periodicals through 1971.

      Call Number: REF. PN1995 .B64

§         Motion Picture Guide

      12 vol. set offers brief plot summaries and an overview of critical reception and
      public reaction to American and foreign films and silent films. Volumes 11 and 12
      are an index to films released before 1985. (CSUDH does not own the
      accompanying annuals for post-1985 films). 

      Call Number: REF. PN1995 .N346

§         New York Times Film Reviews

      Reprints of 17,000+ full reviews as they appeared in The New York Times.

      Covers 1913-1988.                 

      Call Number: REF. PN1995 .N4

      (Note: NYT film reviews from 1960 to date, and a few older reviews, are
       searchable online at  http://movies.nytimes.com/ref/movies/reviews/

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 Selected Internet Resources

        ·   MLA Formatting and Style Guide: created and maintained by Purdue University,
             an exhaustive and authoritative guide to MLA format!

     · Google Scholar Advanced Search: good place to try out a concept or combination of
              keywords that turned up nothing in MLA Bibliography or other databases; gives you an idea
              of "what might be out there".

·      Feminist Literary Criticism and Theory: includes information on different literary     genres, specific historical periods, literature, and literary theory.  

·    Literary Resources on the Net: a metasite of literary resources maintained by a     dedicated Rutgers University professor; contains numerous links to e-texts and links to     pages about individual authors.  

·    Voice of the Shuttle: renowned, gigantic, searchable database of humanities websites;     look under contents for categories Literature (in English) and Literary Theory.

·   The Homer Homepage : links to texts, literary criticism, university Homer projects,
    bulletin boards and more.

·   The James Joyce Scholars' Collection : links to digital versions of out-of-print critical     books on JAmes Joyce, courtesy of University of Wisconsin Digital Collections.

 

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