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ENG 402: English Research Seminar

A guide for Bluffton University students in the English Research Seminar course (ENG 402)

Introduction and search suggestions

Use the library's catalog to search for books and book-length resources on your chosen topic.  Try searches like:

AUTHOR searches find sources written BY the author or to which the author contributed content.  These searches work best by searching last name first, like:

  • shakespeare, william
  • angelou, m
  • james, henry
  • stein, gertrude

SUBJECT searches (use the same format) may find books written ABOUT that author's work/s.

KEYWORD searches on the author's name followed by the word, "critic" with an asterisk after, like:

  • Flannery O'Connor critic*
  • James Joyce critic*
  • Toni Morrison critic*
  • Shakespeare critic*

... will retrieve results which include words like critical or criticism, etc.

Also try: same keyword search, but with interpret* instead of critic*

This will retrieve results which include the words interpreting, interpretation, etc.

You may find eBooks in your lists of results.  Look for a "View Online" link to read the book on your screen or device.

Use Subject Headings to extend your searching power

When looking at the detail screen for any item in your search results, click on the "Full Record" tab for relevant Subject Headings.  Some examples are:

AuthorLastName, AuthorFirstName -- Criticism and intepretation.

TopicXYZ -- In literature.

Click on these subject headings to see a more accurate search.  Then, click the Search OhioLINK button while looking at your search results, and reveal additional resources you can request.