Skip to Main Content
University of Jamestown Library Guides banner

ENGLISH: Research Guide | Get Started

Resource suggestions and search tips for research in English literature and creative writing.

Your Librarian

Profile Photo
Amanda Walch
she/her/hers
Contact:
Raugust Library, Reference & Instruction Office
701-252-3467 ext. 5441

Related Guides

UJ Writing Center

Make an appointment at the UJ Writing Center

Getting Started

stack of booksIn this Guide, you'll find: 

Key Resources

Quick links to best bets

Find Background Information

Reference sources - great for getting started

Reference sources are a great starting point for research. Reference sources typically provide definitions, give topic overviews, and explain theories. They can also point to additional readings and scholarship. Examples of reference sources include: dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, guidebooks, manuals, and textbooks. 

cover art

Oxford English Dictionary Online

Search the OED online! Access definitions and word histories for over 600,000 words.

cover art

Key Terms in Literary Theory

Provides definitions of terms and concepts, explanations of major movements and figures in literary and cultural theory, and an extensive bibliography. ebook

cover art

The Encyclopedia of Literary and Cultural Theory

Provides accessible entries on the important concepts, theorists and trends in post-1900 literary and cultural theory. ebook

cover art

A Dictionary of Literary Symbols

Explains and illustrates the literary symbols that we all frequently encounter and gives hundreds of cross-references and quotations. ebook

cover art

Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters

Provides an invaluable guide to the wealth of characters created by writers in English. ebook

cover art

Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature

Offers both a survey of literary themes and a collection of in-depth analyses of how these themes operate in individual literary works. REF 820.93 En192