Databases

 

Communications & Mass Media Complete	About
Lexis Nexis Academic Universe	About
Literature Resource Center	About
MLA International Bibliography	About
Oxford English Dictionary	About

 

 

Websites

 

Citation Styles from the Rebecca Crown Library Website	Description: This page offers an MLA Style Handout, which summarizes how to format a Works Cited list.
Dartmouth Writing Program Online Materials	Description: An excellent website produced by Dartmouth College that explains university-level writing in an “FAQ” format.
Image: Art, Faith, Mystery	Description: This is the website for a literary magazine that describes itself as “a unique forum for the best writing and artwork that is informed by—or grapples with—religious faith.” In addition to the magazine’s content, the site features resources for writers, bibliographies, and study guides.
Librarian's Internet Index: English Language	Description: The Librarians' Internet Index is an index/search engine that contains websites vetted by information experts (i.e. librarians). The English Language page offers a list of websites on writing & linguistics.
McSweeney's	Description: This is the website for the publisher McSweeney’s, which has gained much attention in the past few years for its unique approach to publishing and support for up-and-coming writers. The press publishes two magazines, one called simply McSweeney’s, the other The Believer, as well as books. Select content of both the literary magazines is available through this website. The site also features all sorts of miscellany that may be of interest to writers.
Ploughshares	Description: Ploughshares is a well-known literary magazine produced at Emerson College that publishes both “big names and new voices.” This site features select content from the current issue, an archive, open forums, and a literary events calendar.
Poets and Writers Magazine	Description: An online version of Poets & Writers magazine that features author interviews, information about publishing your work, advice on pursuing writing as a career, and an electronic newsletter for writers.
Online Writing Lab (OWL)	Description: OWL is an online resource produced by Purdue University. It features guidelines for academic writing, citation styles, professional writing, and job search writing, plus advice on grammar and mechanics. The site is currently in the process of being completely revised and updated. This link will take you to the new site, but most of the content is on the original site, which can be accessed from the new main page where it says, “The original OWL at Purdue site can be found via this link.”
Poetry Center of the Library of Congress	Description: The website of the Poetry & Literature Center at the Library of Congress. It features poetry news & events, webcasts of readings, and access to the Library of Congress’s poetry archives.
Turabian Style Examples	Description: A brief guide to the Turabian citation style, courtesy of the University of Georgia Libraries.

 

 

 

Print Resources

 

The Associated Press stylebook and briefing on media law

Reference PN4783 .A83 2002

A guide intended for journalists, this book outlines the conventions of newspaper writing.

 

Dictionary of slang

Reference PE3721 .G74 1998

This dictionary covers slang terms from the 16th century to the date of publication. Each entry includes a date to indicate when the term was prevalent. Entries also include the part of speech, related terms, and often a geographic or socio-cultural usage label.

 

Encyclopedia of the essay

Reference PN4500 .E63 1997

500 entries cover the history of the essay genre worldwide. Topics include renowned essayists, historically important literary magazines, rhetorical techniques, and national essay-writing traditions.

 

Facts on File encyclopedia of word and phrase origins

Reference PE1689 .H47 1997

The Oxford English Dictionary will tell you when a word was first used in print, but this dictionary explains where words and phrases originate. "Abracadabra," "Caucasian," and "snitch" are but three entries among 15,000. Includes an index.

 

Harper dictionary of foreign terms - 3rd edition

Reference PE1670 .M3 1987

Includes terms from a variety of languages, although the majority of entries are from the Latin, German, or romance languages. Very helpful if you're reading an author inclined to use phrases like tête-á-tête or caveat emptor.

 

Illustrated reverse dictionary

Reference PE1591 .I4 1990

This dictionary claims to assist you to "find the words on the tip of your tongue." It works under the assumption that if you can't recall what word you want to use, you can think of words associated with it. Terms are arranged in boxes by topics that range from sports to science. The majority of the pages are devoted to a cross-referenced dictionary and thesaurus. A handy alternative dictionary for writers.

 

The concise Oxford dictionary of literary terms

Reference PN41 .C67 1990

Provides definitions and pronunciation guides for commonly used literary terms. These include terms that describe poetic elements, rhetorical devices, literary theories, and general concepts relating to the study of literature.

 

MLA handbook for writers of research papers - 6th edition

Reference LB2369 .G53 2003

A necessity for English majors. This handbook has guidelines for all the aspects of writing a research paper, from selecting a topic, finding resources, and writing a first draft to searching online databases and citing resources in various formats. Also includes detailed information on how to avoid plagiarism.

 

MLA international bibliography of books and articles on the modern languages and literatures

Indexes Z7006 .M641

The Modern Language Association (MLA) publishes this index annually. It lists all the books and articles published in a given year on the topics of modern languages, linguistics, folklore, and literatures. Listings are arranged by region and time period (e.g. "English literature, 1800-1899"). An invaluable resource for literary research; also useful for browsing to see what kinds of topics critics are writing about.

See also: the online version (listed under Databases on this page)

 

New dictionary of the history of ideas

Reference CB9 .N49 2005

This 5-volume set includes over 700 signed articles arranged alphabetically. Each article treats a distinct concept-such as "sacred and profane," "totalitarianism," "psychoanalysis"-and outlines how the concept has evolved. Brief bibliographies accompany each entry. Useful not only for clarification of literary critics' vocabulary, but also for developing essay topics.

 

New Oxford American dictionary

Reference PE1628 .N429 2001

This dictionary claims to give "the most accurate and richly descriptive picture of American English ever offered in any dictionary." Features etymology and derivative terms, as well as occasional illustrations and usage notes. Recommended in conjunction with the Oxford English Dictionary.  

 

New York Public Library book of 20th-century American quotations

Reference PN6081 .N53 1992

A compilation of 9,000 quotations by American writers and other well-known figures. They are organized by themes such as "Dreams & Ideals," "Americans on Americans," and "Government & Politics." It has an author and source index as well as a subject index. See also the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations and the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

 

Oxford dictionary of allusions

Reference PE1580 .D45 2001

A unique dictionary that defines phrases, names, and places commonly alluded to in literature. It succinctly explains references from biblical texts and classical mythology as well as modern popular culture. Includes 22 longer entries on famously literary figures such as Odysseus, Achilles, and Don Quixote.

 

Oxford dictionary of phrase and fable

Reference PN43 .O94 2000

This work aims to fill in the gaps left by standard dictionaries by defining common phrases and terms, the majority of which describe famous figures, events, and places.

 

Oxford dictionary of phrase, saying, & quotation

Reference PN6080 .O945 2002

This compilation groups quotations by themes, such as "Disillusion & Cynicism," and "Excellence & Mediocrity." The quotations originate from a variety of sources, from canonical literature to pop culture and advertising. It also features a keyword index. Like the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations and the New York Public Library Book of 20th-Century American Quotations, this is always useful if you are looking for an aphorism to start off your essay.

 

Oxford dictionary of quotations

Reference PN6080 .O95 1999

Somewhat similar to the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying, & Quotation. Quotations are organized among 21 categories; within those categories they are organized by the author/speaker's last name. Includes a thematic index and keyword index. Quotes come from a variety of sources, but the dictionary primarily features British writers and well-known figures.

 

The Oxford English dictionary

Reference PE1625 .O871989

The Oxford English Dictionary is a historical dictionary of English, covering the language from the earliest times to the present day. Each entry gives a word's etymology, a list of its various meanings from the earliest to the most recent, and illustrative quotations that show how the word has been used in well-known texts.

See also: the online version (listed under Databases on this page)

 

The Penguin rhyming dictionary

Reference PE1519 .P4 1985

This dictionary groups words that rhyme into lists. Start by looking up a word in the index, which will refer you to an entry number. Very comprehensive; gives short definitions of lesser-known terms.

 

Random House word menu

Reference PE1680 .G58 1992

A thesaurus of sorts, but arranged in a unique way; words are listed according categories (hence the title Word Menu). The seven main categories are Nature, Science & Technology, Domestic Life, Institutions, Arts & Leisure, Language, and The Human Condition. Each category is further subdivided by topic. The "Physical Attributes" section, for example, will likely be useful to creative writers.

 

Rhyme's reason

Main Stacks PE1505 .H64 1981

This brief text explains various poetic forms and meters by giving numerous examples.

 

Roget's thesaurus of phrases

Reference PE1689 .K47 2001

A companion volume to Roget's International Thesaurus, this supplies alternatives to commonly used phrases. Its broad scope covers business, scientific, literary, and popular terms.

 

Roget’s descriptive word finder: a dictionary/thesaurus of adjectives

Reference PE1591 .K544 2003

Created especially for writers, this is a specialized thesaurus that organizes adjectives under themes and topics. Also features a “Quick Word Finder” that provides alternatives to common terms.

 

Roget's international thesaurus - 6th edition

With 330,000 entries, Roget’s International Thesaurus is the most comprehensive thesaurus on the shelf. Start by looking up a word in the index, and it will point you to a section that lists multiple synonyms, antonyms, and related terms. See also Roget’s Thesaurus of Phrases.

 

The writer’s Harbrace handbook

Reference PE1408 .W7714 2001

A guide to the writing and research process. It includes chapters about: planning, drafting, revising, and editing essays; developing arguments; research methods; writing about literature; and professional writing. Also contains sections about grammar, mechanics, diction, punctuation, and composing effective sentences. This handbook is well-organized and easy to search.

 

 

 

Written by: Helen Long, MLIS Candidate

Subject Bibliographer: Mary Pat Fallon

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