Novel approach. Search for literary reviews beginning in Wikipedia, weaving through library databases and finishing off with Google Scholar.

1. Academic Research
from
the
KU Libraries
Contemporary
American Literature
Lissa Lord llord@ku.edu
June 16, 2011

2. KU Libraries Homepage
http://www.lib.ku.edu
Dissertation Research Blog
http://dissertationresearch.blogspot.com
Twitter at the Regents Center Library
http://twitter.com/librarykuec
Regents Center Library Homepage
http://www.lib.ku.edu/RCLibrary/

3. If you know nothing about something
take a look at Wikipedia.
My search
contemporary american literature

4. From Wikipedia: contempory american literature
found : Jonathan Franzen who rose to prominence after the 2001
publication of his National Book Award- winning third novel, The
Corrections . . .
Essay, "Perchance to
Dream," in Harper's
Magazine.

5. From Wikipedia to the Library:
1. How do we find the essay, "Perchance to
Dream," in Harper's Magazine?
2. How do we find out if the library has a
copy of Franzen’s book, The Discomfort
Zone?
3. How do we find reviews for The
Discomfort Zone using a library database?

6. http://lib.ku.edu

7. Take your pick
from this list of
Databases that
include the
literary magazine,
Harpers.

10. Library Catalog: where are the books

11. Library Catalog for How to find a book

13. Do you want this book
sent from Watson
Library to Edwards
Campus?

15. Search Databases
By
Subject

20. You will get a copy of this review, but not
instantly. Request from the library. The
link to the PDF article should (98% of the
time from my experience) be in your
email box tomorrow or at least within 48
hours.

22. Usually, the
text is
already filled
in. Here, I
had to cut
and paste
from the
database
screen

23. Returning to
the list of
English Lit
TLS historical archive includes
databases 2006. . .(!) I found the review
“the other” database said the
library did not have!

25. If you know the
name of the
database you want
to search select the
letter of its title

27. Proquest research library

29. Google Scholar
now that you know how databases work, look here

30. To search
Google Scholar,
go through the
library so that
the databases
are connected
to your Google
search

34. Questions?
Lissa Lord
llord@ku.edu