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Readings in the Humanities
Guide for finding sources at the George T. Potter Library

Irene Kuchta

ikuchta@ramapo.edu

x7577

 I. Library Homepage: http://library.ramapo.edu

  • Provides access to the catalog (OPAC), databases, interlibrary loan forms, etc.

II. Finding Books at the Potter Library

  • Catalog: use this to find books, journal titles NOT ARTICLES, government documents, reserve items, music,and movies owned by the Library. You may limit a search by language, year(s) of publication, type of material, etc. This may take a few seconds to load.
  • Search the catalog using Advanced Search, search Keywords to find material
    • For example: search for Sophocles and Antigone to locate a broad range of material and look for ideas for your project
  • Use the Related Records link in the record to located the subject headings and find more topic specific material

    Tips

    1. Start with broad searches. It is much easier to discard too much rather than start with too little.
    2. If you don't know the Subject Heading, use the Related Records tab located on the top of a catalog record to get to the headings. This will help you focus in on more relevant material.
    3. Can "virtually" browse the shelves by clicking on the call number in a record.

III. Reference Material

  • The reference stacks are located on the 3rd floor (this is also the library's entrance).
  • Some useful materials for your projects:
    • Critical Survey of Drama PN1625 .C74 2003
    Critical Survey of Poetry PN1021 .C7 2003

Tips

  1. Use reference books to browse for project ideas and to get started on your research.
  2. Use the Bibliographies at the end of encyclopedia entries to find more information on your topic.

IV. Electronic Resources

Literature Resource Center Literature Resource Center provides access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of authors from every age and literary discipline. Combining Gale Group's core literary databases in a single online service, the Literature Resource Center covers more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers, with in-depth coverage of 2,500 of the most-studied authors.
Academic Search Premier A multidisciplinary database that contains many full-text articles. May also limit to scholary (peer-reviewed) journals.
Expanded Academic ASAP Provides multidisciplinary, easy-to-use access more than 3,500 journals (of which 2,100 are peer-reviewed) in the areas of humanities, social science and science and technology. Covered are such topics as communications, computers, environmental studies, health, and women's studies. Many articles are full-text.
New York Times (Historical) The collection includes digital reproductions of every page from every issue--cover to cover--in downloadable PDF files.

(Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Refereed articles have been reviewed by a selected panel of experts in the discipline covered by that journal).

Tips
  1. Always switch to the Advance Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
  2. Always use Boolean Operators-AND, OR, NOT when running a search. For Example: media and "eating disorders" and women
  3. Always check your Spelling if the database results are Zero.

 

V.  Internet Resources


Online Literary Criticism Collection

"The Internet Public Library "

Over 2000 critical and biographical websites about authors and their works, easily browsed by author, title, nationality, and literary period.

LitLinks This site, from Bedford/St. Martin's Press, offers suggested links to information on poetry, plays, short stories, and critical articles.

 

  • Journal Finder: this provides information regarding if a journal is available full-text online, in print in the library, or available on microfilm.
  • Interlibrary Loan: allows studens to borrow a book or article that the Potter library does not own. There is a link from the Journal Finder page.

Both of these links can be found under QUICK LINKS on the library's homepage.

V. Bibliographies

VI. Using Web Sources

Use Evaluating Websites to determine if the site is authoritative enough to use in your paper.

Need more help? Visit or call the Reference Desk: 201.684.7574

Use QandA NJ a 24/7 virtual chat with a reference librarian.