Guides
Wayfinders for our collections, tools, and servicesLiterature in English: Digital reference shelf
A guide to primary and secondary research resources for literary studies in English.
Dictionaries
- Oxford English dictionary (OED)Complete text of the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, plus quarterly updates of new and revised entries. This etymological dictionary traces the origin and history of words and their meanings.
- Dictionary of American regional EnglishFeatures over 11,000 entries, representing the full panoply of American regional vocabulary. A great source for Americanisms not covered in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Encyclopedias and bibliographies
These encyclopedias and bibliographies provide background information and help contextualize research on specific literary topics.
- Johns Hopkins guide to literary theory and criticismIncludes more than 300 alphabetically arranged entries and subentries on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods.
- Oxford bibliographies onlineAuthoritative research guides combining features of an annotated bibliography and a high-level encyclopedia. Includes guides on topics and authors related to American literature, British and Irish literature, Medieval studies, Victorian literature, and literary and cultural theory.
- Oxford research encyclopediasLong-form overview articles written, peer-reviewed, and edited by leading scholars, covering both foundational and cutting-edge topics.
- Princeton encyclopedia of poetry and poeticsThe authoritative reference for students, scholars, and poets on all aspects of its subject: history, movements, genres, prosody, rhetorical devices, critical terms, and more.
Biographical dictionaries
The biographical dictionaries below provide brief biographies of notable literary and historical figures. Use SearchWorks to find book length biographies of writers.
- Dictionary of literary biographySearchable digital edition of the Gale series featuring biographical essays focusing on all genres and time periods of American and British literature. Essays discuss the lives and careers of authors and summarize critical responses to their work.
- American national biographyBiographical essays and bibliographies on over 17,000 notable Americans.
- Oxford dictionary of national biographyOver 60,000 biographies, 72 million words, 11,000 portraits of significant, influential or notorious figures who shaped British history.
