Books
Oxford English Dictionary
- Oxford English dictionary This link opens in a new windowThe accepted authority on the evolution of the English language over the last millennium. It is the guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of over half a million words, both present and past.
Biographical Resources
- Oxford dictionary of national biography This link opens in a new windowContains written and illustrated biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest to recent times.
- American national biography online This link opens in a new windowAccess scholarly biographies of deceased Americans of significant historical importance.
- Literature online This link opens in a new windowAlong with literary works and critical articles, Literature online (LION) provides information from reference sources including American Poetry and other bibliographies, biographies, and dictionaries.
- Gale literature resource center This link opens in a new windowProvides access to biographies, bibliographies and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline. Covers novelists, poets, essayists, journalists and other writers, with in-depth coverage of the most-studied authors.
Online Reference Work Collections
- Cambridge Companions This link opens in a new windowCambridge Companions searches across the Companions for Literature and Classics; Philosophy, Religion, and Culture; and Music.
- Cambridge Histories This link opens in a new windowThis electronic version of Cambridge Histories contains over 300 volumes and all the titles published to date in this series. These detailed histories cover all aspects of the humanities and social sciences and are an excellent place to learn basic knowledge of important subjects.
- Oxford reference This link opens in a new windowA cross-searchable online database of Oxford University Press subject dictionaries and reference works.
- Literary EncyclopediaThe Literary Encyclopedia is an online reference work that provides authoritative articles about literary and cultural history. Coverage includes English-language, Classical, German, French and Francophone, Hispanic, Italian, Russian, East European, and other world literatures. Over 7800 articles are included, with 20-40 new articles currently being added each month.
Other Reference Titles
We own many reference titles in print and electronically. Print titles located in our Reference collection must be used in the library. Other reference works located in the regular stacks may be able to be borrowed. Example print and ebook reference titles (in addition to those listed under the Getting Started tab) that you may find useful for your research include:
Encyclopedia of the Victorian Era (4 vols) by
"Designed with a broad audience in mind, this interdisciplinary encyclopedia edited by Adams (associate professor of English, Cornell) and two experienced reference book editors is "intended to provide sweeping coverage of the social, political, and intellectual landscape of the British-dominated world during the years of the reign of Queen Victoria, 1837-1901." Though the emphasis is British, coverage extends to places around the globe where Victorian culture made a mark. Thus, the discussion in Agriculture is not confined to Britain but also considers India and America" (from Booklist).
Call Number: DA550 .E527 2004, Watson 1 1/2 EastISBN: 0717258602Publication Date: 2004
The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Hardy by
"The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Hardy is an essential introduction to this most enigmatic of writers. These commissioned essays from an international team of contributors comprises a general overview of all Hardy' s work and specific demonstrations of Hardy's ideas and literary skills. Individual essays explore Hardy's biography, aesthetics, his famous attachment to Wessex, and the impact on his work of developments in science, religion and philosophy in the late nineteenth century. Hardy's writing is also analysed against developments in contemporary critical theory and issues such as sexuality and gender. The volume also contains a detailed chronology of Hardy's life and publications, and a guide to further reading" (publisher description).
Call Number: Ebook or PrintISBN: 0521562023Publication Date: 1999
Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution by
"This comprehensive A to Z encyclopedia provides extensive coverage of important scientific terms related to improving our understanding of how we evolved. Specifically, the 5,000 entries in this two-volume set cover evidence and methods used to investigate the relationships among the living great apes, evidence about what makes the behavior of modern humans distinctive, and evidence about the evolutionary history of that distinctiveness, as well as information about modern methods used to trace the recent evolutionary history of modern human populations" (publisher description).
Call Number: EbookISBN: 9781405155106Publication Date: 2011
The Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature by Call Number: Ebook or PrintISBN: 0826414567Publication Date: 2003
MLA Handbook (8th edition) by Call Number: LB2369 .G53 2016ISBN: 9781603292627Publication Date: 2016
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