LibGuides: English Guide: Researching in English

Need to develop your idea?

If you are just starting your research, you may need to develop your topic further. Ask yourself:

What do I already know?
What do I need to know?

As you consider these questions, take a look at a few of our reference resources for general, background information about your topic. The information you find in these resources will help you determine what you need to know, what search terms or keywords to use, an what, exactly, it is that you hope to discover through your research.

Gale eBooks
Platform for electronic reference books. Titles are added as they are purchased.
Credo Reference
Full-text online versions of hundreds of top quality reference books in all major subjects.

The Oxford companion to American literature by James D. Hart, Phillip Leininger
Call Number: REF PS 21 .H37 O94 1995
Publication Date: 1995
For the sixth edition, James D. Hart and Phillip Leininger have updated this companion in light of what has happened in American literature since 1982.

How to use this guide

This guide contains suggested resources and how-to tutorials to guide you through researching in the field of English. On this main page you'll find some databases and websites that we suggest you use for English research. If you are still developing your topic, consider finding inspiration in the resources provided in the "Need to develop your idea?" box.

Click the "How do I...?" tab at the top to access general how-to handouts and videos for using the Viterbo University library.

Have you found this guide thanks to the guidance of your English composition instructor? Select the "English Composition" tab at the top of the page for resources designed to help you succeed in your English composition class.

Find Literary Criticism

Cambridge Companions to Literature and Classics
Literary analysis of major authors, periods, genres, and literary works, written by experts.
Gale Literature Resource Center
Books, journals, and essays covering biographical, critical, and contextual information on authors and their works.
Humanities International Complete
Journals, books, and other published sources with worldwide content pertaining to literary, scholarly and creative thought.
JSTOR
Archive of journal issues as they were originally designed, printed, and illustrated. NOT CURRENT; there is a 1- to 5-year gap between the newest journal issue and the content available in JSTOR.
Literary Reference Source
A full-text database that combines information from major respected literary reference books/works, literary journals and magazines, contemporary titles, plus 40 full-text literary study guides and 72 literary videos.

Find Evidence to Support an Argument

Opposing Viewpoints in Context
Over 14,000 pro/con viewpoint essays, 5,000 topic overviews, 5 million periodical articles, nearly 6,000 statistical tables, charts and graphs, and thousands of podcasts on today's most contentious social issues.

Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center collects and analyzes data on major world events.

Newspaper Source Plus
Over 1,500 full-text newspapers.
Points of View Reference Source
Containing resources that present diverse perspectives on important issues and events, Points of View has the information students need to better understand controversial issues and craft persuasive arguments ― in speech and in writing. The database covers more than 560 topics across dozens of categories.

To access from off-campus:
Select: La Crosse – Viterbo University Library
Enter: VUxxxxxx (where the x's represent the first 6 characters of the patrons’ username).

Liaison Librarian

Jodi Hilleshiem

Email Me

Contact:

Todd Wehr Memorial Library
MC 114
La Crosse, WI 54601

608-796-3278

Poetry Recitation and Translation

IPA Source
IPA Source contains a collection of International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions and English translations of poems and Latin texts. Browse by resource type or poet, or search for translations and transcriptions using the search box at the top of the webpage. Learn correct pronunciation and the emotional meaning of non-English poetry.

Digital Theatre+

Digital Theatre+
Streaming video service of theatre productions, including plays, musicals, dance, and operas. Includes audio, video, and written resources such as interviews, lectures, documentaries, essays, study guides, and teaching resources.