ENGL 398L: Scholarly Writing in the Humanities
Professor Mark Forrester
Resources compiled and Web Page created by Tim Hackman, UM Libraries
The University of Maryland Libraries have many resources that will help with the research for your ENGL 398L project. If you need additional information, please talk with a Reference Librarian at McKeldin Library's Service Plus Information Desk or contact Tim Hackman, Librarian for English and Linguistics, at thackman[at umd dot edu].
Contents
Reference Works (Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Guides & Handbooks)
Finding Materials in the UM Libraries
Finding Scholarly Journal Articles
Research with Primary Documents
Web Sites
Interlibrary Loan
Preparing Your Bibliography
Questions?
Reference Works
Reference sources such as bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, guides or handbooks can be excellent sources for getting started on your topic. Use them to find background information about a subject, and to identify important key words and phrases to use for searching. Most reference works also include lists of sources, which you can track down to start your own bibliography. To search for print reference works in the UM Libraries Catalog, try the following:
The following are a few examples of electronic reference works available through Research Port:
Encyclopedia JudaicaUpdated edition of this work on Judaism features more than 21,000 entries on Jewish life, culture, history, and religion, written by Israeli, American and European subject specialists.
Encyclopedia of Islam
Reference to people, history, institutions, and countries related to religious, political, and historical aspects of Islam.
Encyclopedia of Literature
Includes more than 10,000 entries for authors, works, periods and movements, theories and theorists, and other literary terms.
Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Online
The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Online is devoted to music research of all the world's peoples. It is the online equivalent of the print Garland Encyclopedia, which has been the preeminent general reference work for research in ethnomusicology since its publication in 1997, with articles written by acknowledged experts in the field.
Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism
Essays defining literary terms and explaining literary theories, periods, movements. Biographical information about writers, literary theorists and cultural critics.
Oxford Art Online
Includes the full-text of the 34-volume 1996 print edition of the Dictionary of Art, with online updates and links to images in museum collections worldwide. Provides access to 45,000+ scholarly articles and links to 40,000+ images.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Biographies of more than 50,000 noteworthy people, no longer living, who inhabited or were connected with the British Isles. Portraits included for more than 10,000 entries.
Oxford English Dictionary
Comprehensive dictionary of the English language. Traces development of English from approximately 1150 AD up to present day. Includes many varieties of English.
Oxford Music Online
Provides full-text access to the following standard reference sources: The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, The Oxford Dictionary of Music, and The Oxford Companion to Music.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy provides authoritative, peer-reviewed articles on hundreds of subjects in all fields of Philosophy. More than 850 authors and 90 subject editors contribute to this work.
Finding Materials in the UM Libraries
Use the Catalog to search for books, journal titles, videos/DVDs, and more in the UM Libraries.
World Cat
This huge catalog will lead you to resources available in major libraries around the world. Books not owned by UM can be requested via Interlibrary Loan.
Finding Scholarly Journal Articles
Use the databases below to find journal articles, book chapters, book reviews, etc. related to your topic. Consult Research Port for the full list of available electronic resources.
When using the databases, be sure to follow the 
link. This will direct you to electronic full text, the catalog, or Interlibrary Loan if full text is not available and if the Libraries do not subscribe to the journal or needed volume and issue.
General Humanities Databases
ACLS Humanities E-BookHumanities E-Book is a digital collection offered by the American Council of Learned Societies in collaboration with ten learned societies, nearly 80 contributing publishers, and librarians at the University of Michigan's Scholarly Publishing Office. The result is an online, fully searchable collection of high-quality books in the Humanities, recommended and reviewed by scholars.
Arts and Humanities Citation Index (via Web of Science)
Provides access to current and retrospective bibliographic information and cited references found in nearly 1,130 of the world's leading arts & humanities journals published since 1996.
Digital Dissertations
This database is the an authoritative source for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses. The database represents the work of authors from over 1,000 graduate schools and universities. Full text is available from 1997 to the present.
Electronic Journal Collections: JSTOR and Project Muse are collections of electronic journals, not databases. You can search them for full-text articles on your topic but your results may not represent all (or even the best) of the available scholarship. Search the subject-specific databases for your topic instead, and use the links to connect to the full-text articles wherever they are available.
Art and Art History
Art Abstracts (1984-Present)Provides comprehensive indexing and abstracts for 400+ international art publications, including periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. Covers a broad range of art topics: advertising, archaeology, crafts, folk art, graphic arts, interior design, video, film, architecture and art history.
Art Index Retrospective (1929-1984)
An index to English and foreign-language periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins; indexes selected book reviews and reproductions of works of art. Covers all styles and periods of the fine arts, archaeology, architecture, decorative arts, advertising art, city planning, design, motion pictures, museum studies, and photography.
Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA)
Contains abstracts and indexes of current publications in the history of art, including scholarly journals, conferences, book, exhibition reviews, and exhibition catalogues. Includes materials published from 1973 to present.
History
America: History and LifeInformation on articles, books, book reviews and dissertations on U.S. and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Includes items published since 1964.
Historical Abstracts
Information on articles, books, book reviews and dissertations on non-U.S. and non-Canadian history from 1450 to the present. Includes items published since 1954.
History of Science, Technology and Medicine
This database is the definitive international bibliography for the history of science, technology, and medicine and their influence on culture from pre-history to the present. Includes items published since 1975.
Language, Literature and Linguistics
ABELL PlusThe Annotated Bibliography of English Language and Literature (ABELL) indexes articles, essays, books, dissertations, and book reviews on language and literature topics published since 1920. Also includes the full text of articles from over 100 journals.
LLBA (Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts)
Indexes and summarizes journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations, selected conference proceedings, and book reviews on linguistics and its subdisciplines published since 1973. Covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
MLA International Bibliography
Indexes journals, books, essay collections, proceedings, dissertations, and bibliographies published worldwide since 1920 in the areas of literary criticism, language, linguistics, rhetoric, and folklore of all countries.
Music
Music IndexThe Music Index is the single most comprehensive subject-author guide to music periodical literature. The Music Index has been available in print since 1949. The Music Index online coverage spans from 1976 to the present and contains surveyed data from 775 international music periodicals from over 40 countries, with English translations from 22 languages.
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature
An international bibliography of nearly 500,000 scholarly writings on music and related disciplines in 140 languages published since 1967. RILM indexes articles, books, conference proceedings, bibliographies, catalogues, dissertations, festchriften, iconographies, critical commentaries to complete works, ethnographic recordings and videos, reviews and more.
RIPM (Retrospective Index of Music Periodicals)
Provides access to more than 425,000 annotated citations from sixty-seven music periodicals published in thirteen European countries, Russia, and the United States between 1817 and 1917. Indexes articles, commentary, illustrations, and reviews in their original language.
Philosophy and Religion
ATLA Religion IndexProvides abstracts and indexing for articles, essays, and book reviews in over 1550 journals and multi-author works dealing with religious and theological scholarship. International in scope and language coverage. Covers all types of religions. Covers materials published 1949 to present, with select records for materials back to 1818.
Philosophers Index
Philosopher's Index is a current and comprehensive bibliographic database covering scholarly research in all major fields of philosophy. Features author-written abstracts covering scholarly research published in journals and books, including contributions to anthologies and book reviews. Covers material published since 1940.
Women's Studies
Gender WatchFull text database comprised of 175 titles, primarily of the many ongoing periodicals that deal with gender issues, including academic and scholarly journals, regional publications, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, booklets and reports. Subject areas covered include: government, history and politics, lesbian and gay studies, women's studies, and other humanities and social sciences disciplines. Covers materials published since 1970.
Women's Studies International
Includes more than 548,220 records and spans from 1972 and earlier to present. This database supports curriculum development in the areas of sociology, history, political science & economy, public policy, international relations, arts & humanities, business and education. Over 2,000 periodical sources are represented.
Research with Primary Documents
-
For an excellent introduction to primary documents, see the UM Libraries guide to Research Using Primary Sources. This guide shows examples of primary documents, defines important terms, and provides tips on effective research strategies. Highly recommended. You can also consult the Web Guide to Primary Sources in Microform Collections or one of the following databases:
19th Century Masterfile
19th Century Masterfile is the largest resource for pre-1925 studies online, with more than 60 indexes to periodicals, books, newspapers, patents and US/UK Government Documents.
American Periodicals Series
Full text images of over 1,100 colonial and early American magazines and periodicals spanning from colonial times to the mid 20th century. Titles range from America's first scientific journal, Medical Repository, to popular magazines like Vanity Fair and Ladies' Home Journal.
American Song
A database of songs that users can listen to over the Internet. It will ultimately contain 50,000 tracks of American roots music and pre-1960 American popular music and include country, folk, bluegrass, Western, old time, American Indian, blues, gospel, and shape note singing. The database includes repertoire such as the songs of Civil Rights, political campaigns, Prohibition, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, anti-war protests and more. See also: African American Song, Contemporary World Music, and Naxos Music Library
ArtStor
Repository of hundreds of thousands of digital images, from across many periods and cultures. Architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, and other forms of visual culture are represented. Provides tools to actively use images for scholarship, teaching, and learning.
Early English Books Online (EEBO)
Database of most imprints (books, pamphlets, and broadsides) published in English anywhere or published in any language in English-speaking countries, appearing from 1473 to 1700. One can search the full ASCII text of *selected* documents and view both the text and the corresponding original page images.
Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO)
The Eighteenth Century Collections Online is a full-text searchable digital database of over 138,00 English-language and foreign-language titles printed in the United Kingdom during the 18th century, along with thousands of works from the Americas. It includes a variety of materials, "from books and directories, Bibles and sheet music to sermons and advertisements [and] includes both well-known and lesser-known authors and canonical titles of the period as well as contemporary works that analyze and debate those same titles."
LION (Literature Online)
A full text collection of over 350,000 works of poetry, drama, and prose written in the English language from the 8th century to the present with complementary criticism and reference resources.
New York Times Historical
The New York Times Historical (1851-2001) offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
Washington Post Historical
The Washington Post (1877-1988) offers full page and article images with searchable full text back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
Web Sites
- Art and Art History
- History
- Linguistics and Language Acquisition
- Literature
- Music
- Philosophy
- Religion
- Women's Studies
- What Are the Humanities? (Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities)
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- College of Arts and Humanities (University of Maryland)
- Intute: Arts and Humanities
An extensive catalog of online humanities resources for education and research, selected and evaluated by a network of subject specialists. - National Endowment for the Humanities - Directory of EDSITEment-Reviewed Web Pages
Index of innovative web projects for teaching and research, organized into four categories: Arts & Culture, Literature & Language Arts, Foreign Language, and History & Social Studies. - Voice of the Shuttle
This "old standby" links to Web sites in the humanities including American Studies, cultural studies, history, literature, literary theory, linguistics, media studies, and more.
UM Libraries Research GuidesThe Libraries have a wide variety of Research Guides, organized by subject, to help you with your research. These in-depth guides list the most important electronic and print resources on particular subjects such as:
Evaluating Web Sites (UM Libraries)
Use this page to help you determine the quality and accuracy of information you find on the Web. If you have questions about what is or is not an appropriate Web resource, be sure to ask your professor or a librarian.
Basic Info
Web Directories
Interlibrary Loan
-
Material not held in our libraries can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Please help us improve our library instruction sessions by filling out the following Feedback Form. Be sure to fill in your course and section number, your instructor's name and (if you would like a response) your email address in the correct boxes. Thank you!
Preparing Your Bibliography
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Resources for students on academic integrity and plagiarism.
How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
Citing Sources Using the MLA Handbook
A Guide for Writing Research papers based on Modern Language Association (MLA) Documentation
Using MLA Style to Cite and Document Sources
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed.
Location: McKeldin Ready Reference Shelf
Call Number: PN147.G53 2009
Questions and Feedback
If you have any questions about these or other library resources,
contact Tim Hackman.
