ENGL-260 Introduction to Literary Studies (Bergren)

Research in Literary Studies may range from critically analyzing a text to reading through scholarly analysis of an author or a particular work. It can also include investigating contextual questions related to history, culture, economics etc, illustrated by the literary work, which illuminate the time period in which the work is set.

To assist you in this research, this guide lays out some tools and resources to help you find books, journal articles and some primary sources. 

I am also available individual research appointments. Please feel free to ask questions! 

Frequently in classes you are asked to find scholarly books and journal articles. What exactly does that mean?

Characteristics of a scholarly book

• Author is typically an expert or scholar in a particular discipline 
• Discusses original research done by the author and uses primary sources as evidence to support that research
• Contains extensive footnotes and/or bibliography
• Advances research in the discipline
• Published by university presses 

Characteristics of a scholarly journal article (sometimes referred to as a peer-reviewed article)

• Author is typically an expert or scholar in a particular discipline affiliated with a university or other research institution
• Language of the article is that of the discipline which it falls under. Reader should have some knowledge of the technical terms of the discipline
• Articles are often fairly long, 15 pages or more
• Articles present original research with footnotes and bibliographies. Most have an abstract in the beginning, which is a descriptive summary
• They may contain graphs and charts, and some images but typically it is all text