LibGuides: English: effective library research for dissertations: Which resources do I use?

Which resources do I use?

Start with Library Search and then explore the Research databases.

To help you identify which other resources will be useful for your particular topic, take a look at the following tabs.You can find out more information about how to search the resources by visiting the English: which resources do I use? guide.

Library Search

Search across the print and online collections for books, chapters, articles, journals and lots more.

Library Search will help you discover books, journals, articles, audio visual material and more on your chosen topic. This is a good place to start when you are beginning to research a topic as you can draw on content from a variety of different sources.

For more in depth research in databases and archives, use the A-Z Databases List.

Databases provide access to scholarly research, including journal articles, conference proceedings and books.

Some of the key research databases for English are listed below. You can find more information on how to search them in the tabs on the left of this guide.

Proquest One Literature

MLA International Bibliography

JSTOR

Gale Literature

Medieval period - up to c1500

Find resources listed here.

Renaissance period - c1500-1660

Find resources listed here.

Take a look at the Shakespeare resources guide for information in this area.

To find material from the 18th century, try searching the resources listed on this page.

To find material from the 19th century, try searching the resources listed on this page.

Twentieth-Century English Poetry This link opens in a new window Full text database of modern and contemporary English poetry.
Faber Poetry Library This link opens in a new window Collection of poetry from influential poets of the 20th Century including Thom Gunn, Siegfried Sassoon, T.S Eliot, Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath, Wendy Cope and Seamus Heaney.
Literature Online - Now part of ProQuest One Literature This link opens in a new window Collection of 20th Century English Poetry, 20th Century Drama, 20th Century American Poetry literature, literary criticism, and reference works.
British Periodicals I, II, III and IV. This link opens in a new window Searchable facsimile reproductions of British periodicals published from the 17th through the early 20th centuries.
Trench Journals and Unit Magazines of the First World War This link opens in a new window Digital archive of rare magazine by and for servicemen and women of all nations during the First World War.
Women's Magazine Archive This link opens in a new window Archive of leading women’s interest consumer magazines from the late-19th century to 2005. Mainly US titles, but now expanded to include major UK titles as well. Subject coverage includes gender studies, social history, economics/marketing, media, fashion, politics, and popular culture. Collections I, II and III available.
Defining Gender This link opens in a new window UK primary source materials from 1450 to 1910 relating to the study of history, literature, sociology and education from a gendered perspective. Documents include ephemera, pamphlets & periodicals, education documents, books, personal writings, business records, government papers, ballads and literature.
Archives of Sexuality and Gender This link opens in a new window Full text archive including material on LGBTQ experiences in the 20th century, as well as rare book content focused on all sexualities. The LGBTQ collections are drawn from hundreds of international institutions and organizations, including individuals of different races, ethnicities, ages, religions & political orientations. The books cover content from the 16th to 20th centuries and are drawn from previously restricted collections and cover sex, sexuality and gender issues.
New content added: Sex and Sexuality, Sixteenth to Twentieth Century
Vogue Archive This link opens in a new window Archive of the magazine American Vogue. Includes all editions from 1892 to the present. The collection provides an insight into US fashion, culture and society.

Resources linking you to literature written by American authors, as well as online archival material relating to American history, culture and politics.

Access a wide range of sound, video and audio resources to help bring drama, poetry and prose to life.

Find resources relating to literature for children and young adults.

See the Creative Writing subject guide for some useful resources on writing fiction, prose and poetry, and for finding literary reviews.

Find resources relating to drama and performing arts.

Visit the Film Studies: effective research for dissertations libguide for further help with key resources in this area.

If your research focuses on a particular author, poet or playwright, take a look at these resources for further information on your chosen literary figure.