This document provides tips for conducting basic character and literary analysis research. It recommends beginning with the library website and using databases to find relevant articles, noting that some databases provide full text while others only citations. It suggests limiting searches by date, type of article, or subject area for more precise results. It also provides tips for finding books, reference materials, and asking librarians for assistance.

1. Character and Literary Analysis Basic Research Tips 2008

2. Begin here…. Swilley Library Website: http://library.mercer.edu The Library Website is the gateway to information Remember this Website.

3. Use a database to find articles. Some databases contain full text, but others only include citations. You can search for articles using keywords, author, or title. You to limit or “narrow” your search by date, article type to provide more precise results

4. This is one way to find a database. To find articles choose a database. Some databases are arranged by subject area. You can also choose to browse a list of all databases. Databases are arranged many ways…

5. GALILEO is a collection of over 100 databases This is another way to access databases. For this assignment, choose GALILEO.

6. Select “Literature and Literary Criticism” databases for this assignment 1 2 Finding the right database to search…

7. Here are some ways to find information about characters Ex. 1 “Things fall apart” AND Characters Ex. 2 “Things fall apart” AND Okonkwo Step 1. Enter keywords Finding Articles that provide characters analysis When you search this way, you are actually searching many different databases at one time

8. Here’s how to find passwords. Remember the library’s website! To find the GALILEO password

9. How do I find an article that may or may not be full text? Search here to see if the article is available in the library or in another database. Journal Search is your answer.

10. Find books that contain character and literary criticism… Use the library catalog to find books.

11. Try the Advanced Search

12. Here are few ways to find information about characters Ex. 1 Things fall apart AND Characters Ex. 2 Things fall apart AND Okonkwo Ex. 3 To Kill a Mockingbird AND Criticism and interpretation Ex. 4 Achebe AND Characters Enter keywords here.

13. Use Reference Books to find Literary Criticism Look here first… To find out if a particular work or author is covered, consult the Cumulative Title Index . The Cumulative Title Index will also point you to entries in these reference sets, which are available in the reference collection: REF PN 771 C59 Contemporary Literary Criticism REF Z1224 .C59 (vols. 1-27) REF PN1111 .P63 (vols. 1-9) REF PN711 .G27 (vols. 1-33)

14. Librarians love questions! If you have any, please ASK US! Reference Desk: 678-547-6282 http://swilley.mercer.edu/askus.asp