Theater and performance studies: Digital reference shelf
A guide to primary and secondary research resources for theater and performance studies.
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.
- 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.
- The Oxford encyclopedia of theatre and danceComprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date information about theater and performance internationally, through history and in the present in an accessible format. Coverage ranges from ancient Greek theatre to the latest developments in London, Paris, New York, and around the globe. The Encyclopedia pays special attention to non-Western styles through articles on theatre and performance throughout the many countries and traditions of Asia and Africa, often written by practitioners or critics from those areas. Dance, opera, performance art, radio, film, and television are covered at length.
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.
