LibGuides: English and American Literature, Older Version: Welcome

About This Guide

This guide includes information on resources for English and American literature in the WSU Libraries. Access to subscription and licensed content or other material purchased by the WSU Libraries is generally WSU-restricted. Non-WSU content on external websites may be accessed and used by anyone.

Research Tools & Processes

Starting Points

Understanding Assignments
Advice on translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to help with the type of writing your instructor expects. (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Evaluating Internet Resources
(Johns Hopkins)
Primary vs. Secondary vs Tertiary Sources
Offers definitions and examples from different scholarly disciplines. (Produced by The Borough of Manhattan Community College.)
Scholarly Journals vs. Magazines
A chart which defines and contrasts scholarly journals and articles with other types of periodical literature. (Produced by the University of Central Florida Libraries)
Glossary of Library Terms
Source: University of South Carolina Upstate

Writing Literature Reviews, Book Reviews, and Film Analysis

Literature Reviews
"This handout will explain what a literature review is and offer insights into the form and construction of a literature review in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences." (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Book Reviews
This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews. (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
Film Analysis
Provides a brief definition of film analysis compared to literary analysis, provides an introduction to common types of film analysis, and offers strategies and resources for approaching assignments. (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Citing & Bibliographies

MLA (Modern Language Association) Citation Quick Guide
The WSU Libraries' quick guide to citing sources using MLA. A good starting point for citation questions.
Purdue University - Research and Citation Resources
How We Cite
A brief tutorial on how to integrate outside sources to your paper. (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Why We Cite
A brief tutorial on the role of citation in scholarly and academic writing. (Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Annotated Bibliographies
"This handout will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation." (Writing Center: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)