Introduction to Literature:

• Britannica Online

A good source for historical period information.
 
• American Decades (covers the years from 1950-1989). 4 vols. Reference R 973.92 A512

• Atlas of the Greek World. Reference R938 L664a

• Cambridge Encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union (covers the years from the 4th millennium BC to 1982). Reference R 947.003 C178.

• Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland. Reference R 942.003 C178

• Companion to Russian History. (covers the years from the 6th century to 1983). Reference R 947.003 P341c

• Daily Life in Elizabethan England. 1995. Reference R 942.055 S617d

• Magill's History of Europe. (covers the years from 1750 BC - 1992). 6 vols.Reference R 940 M194 1993.

• Victorian Britain. (covers the years from 1837-1901). Reference R 942.081 V645 

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• Use Illinet Online (IO)to find books held in the Elmhurst College library as well as books owned by 44 other Illinois academic libraries.

• Sample Searches
 
• Works by Oscar Wilde: author search on Wilde Oscar
• Works about Oscar Wilde: subject search on Wilde Oscar
• Books on public speaking/giving presentations: subject search on public speaking
• Sample Library of Congress Subject Headings:
 
• Wilde, Oscar
• Aristophanes
• Shaw, Bernard
• Ordering books from other libraries ~ Illinet Online allows you to request books held by 45 academic libraries in Illinois.

• When IO doesn't have the material you need, search WorldCat then  request the book through interlibrary loan.

A theater or book review is a "notice of a current work or performance. One can distinguish between a review and other sorts of serious criticism: The review gives readers an idea of the work under consideration. The critic, on the other hand, usually writes about works of some established standing. The boundary line between the two forms is very uncertain in actual practice, however."

From "Review" in A Handbook to Literature, 8th ed., 1999, p. 440.

• Gale Databases~ Includes Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. Also includes the Twayne series which provides criticism of the works of major U.S., English, and world authors from Aristophanes to the present. Author entries range from 175-200 pages.

• MLA International Bibliography

• How do I find out if the Elmhurst College Library has the journal I need?
• Search for the journal title in Illinet Online.
• For example, search for the title Journal of African History.
• If you don't find the journal you need, take a look at the list, 

Journals and Magazines Available Online. You can also call or email the reference department to inquire about a specific title or ask a question.
• How can I order a photocopy of an article I can't find at Elmhurst College?

Finding Articles: Theater Reviews

Best Places to Start (These are all full text)

• For recent productions (within the last ten years), search newspapers through Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Full text.
• New York Theatre Critics Reviews (1940-1996). Full-text print resource in the periodicals area, shelved alphabetically by title.
• Selected Theatre Criticism, 1900-1950. 3 vols. Includes reprints of selected theatre reviews. Reference R 792.9509747 S464.

Other Sources (These are indexes only--no full text)

• Guide to Critical Reviews (parts 1 and 3) ~ Reviews of American drama from 1909-1982. Reference R 809.2 S163g3 1984.
• New York Times Index indexes this major newspaper from 1990-present. Full text of the Times for the previous 90 days.
• New York Times Index (Reference) ~ from 1946. Most of the New York Times is on microfilm in the library.
• Reader's Guide Abstracts (covers periodicals from 1982-present).

   

• Voice of the Shuttle: Drama, Theater, and Performance Arts Studies
• Literary Resources: Theatre and Drama
• Internet Public Library: Online Literary Criticism Collection
• Theatre History Sites on the WWW

• Toastmasters International: 10 Tips for Successful Public Speaking
• Virtual Presentation Assistant

• How to Evaluate the Sources You Find
• Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools
• Dissing the King

• Citing Sources
• Documenting Electronic Resources

Print Source
(Ask for this at Reference and Information Services in the library)

• Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 4th edition.

1995.
A.C. Buehler Library, Reference R808.042 M685 1995.

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