Pathfinder: Literary Criticism

In this pathfinder you will find print resources and electronic resources, all available in or through the Cambridge Central School High School Library’s website.

General Information

Print Resources

Electronic Resources:  Databases /Internet

 

General Information

• Webster's Third New Internationals Dictionary defines criticism as "the art of evaluating or analyzing with knowledge and propriety works of art or literature."
• What is Literary Criticism and why is criticism important for students?  Please read this article by Steven Hale, Georgia Perimeter College.
• Critical Reading : A Guide- helps beginning students think critically about the literature they read.
• When looking for criticism keep in mind:
  • Credentials of the writer
  • Quality of sources
  • Look for information related to:
    • Characterization
    • Voice
    • Style
    • Theme
    • Setting
    • Style of the writer
    • Relationship of work to the time period, historical, social, or political issues.

When using the CCS OPAC, you can do effective general keyword searching, but for a more precise search do a subject keyword.  When searching for information on your author you can do a subject search of your author's name.  A good subject heading for literary criticism often includes the words criticism  and interpretation.  When you are doing your search click on the title tab and check for these terms under subject.  Each book is assigned specific subject heading. 

Some useful subject headings:

• Author's name (subject keyword)
• American literature-History and criticism
• American fiction-Jewish authors
• Author's last  name, First name- look for subheadings criticism and interpretation
• Literature, modern- 20th century-history and criticism
• Literature, modern- 19th century-history and criticism

Dewey Decimal Numbers:  to locate information on literary criticism and author information.  look for books under these numbers in both the nonfiction section and reference section of the library.

• 810 American literature
  • 811 American Poetry
  • 812 American Drama
  • 813 American Fiction (and Criticism)
  • 817 American Humor
• 820 English & Old English literatures
  • 821English Poetry
  • 822 English Drama
  • 822.3 Shakespeare
  • 823 English Fiction

Online Subscription Databases:

• Subject Specific
  • Contemporary Authors
  • MagillOnLiterature
  • Twayne Authors Series
  • Contemporary Literary Criticism
  • ABC-Clio American History
  • Fact.com
  • Student Resource Center
• General
  • Masterfile
  • Elibrary
  • ProQuest Professional Collection

Internet Sites

• American Authors on the Web -organize by time periods, varies in the type of information.
• American Collection -The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) partnered with ExxonMobile Masterpiece Theatre to produce American Collection. This site will links to some of the best online material, about American writers, that have been evaluated by teachers.
• American Literature on the Web  - A collection of links to sites on the Internet especially dealing with American literature and its social, cultural contexts.
• The Internet Public Library: Literary Criticism - Link to numerous critical and biographical Websites on literary criticism dealing with American and British authors.  This website was created by the staff of the Internet Public Library.
• Literary Resources on the Web - this site is maintained by Jack Lynch at Rutgers University and is a collection of links to resources on the web.

Last updated September 2006