What is background information?
Background information provides basic facts, history, descriptions and concepts about your topic. Use only the information that you find useful in starting your research. You can always return to your sources if you need more in-depth information as you get deeper into your research topic.
English / Lit Reference Sources
The following databases provide background information on authors and/or their works as well as overview information related to the study of literature, film, and drama. For example, you can find definitions of literary terms, theories, and movements or basic entry into the literary criticism of a specific work. These are not in-depth literary scholarship or investigations of literary works. You'll find those on the "articles" tab to the left.
Credo Reference helps you start your research in literature with reference guides to historical and contemporary authors, their times, and their works.
Begin your research by looking up your keywords in an online dictionary, encyclopedia or reference book.
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Gale Virtual Reference Library - Literature ResearcheBook editions of Concise Major 21st Century Writers, Drama for Students, Novels for Students, Poetry for Students, and Short Stories for Students.
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Short Stories for StudentsProvides critical overviews of short stories from all cultures and time periods. Includes discussions of plot, characters, themes and structure as well as the story's cultural and historical significance.
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Drama for Students -- GVRLProvides critical overviews of the most-studied plays of all time periods, nations, and cultures. Includes discussions of themes, characters, critical reception, dramatic devices and traditions as well as cultural and historical context.
Recommended books for background information
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The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms by Call Number: RHCREF. PN41 .C67 2008 (RHC)ISBN: 9780199208272Publication Date: 2009The best-selling Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms (formerly the Concise dictionary) provides clear and concise, and often witty definitions of the most troublesome literary terms from abjection to zeugma. -
Literary Movements for Students by Call Number: REF. PN597 .L58 2002 (DPC)ISBN: 0787665177Publication Date: 2002"Literary Movements for Students is designed to meet the needs of students and researchers studying literary movements and the specific works representative of various movements. "Entries provide in-depth historical background information on each movement as well as modern critical interpretation of each movement's characteristic styles and themes. Approximately 25 movements are covered, including absurdism, Greek drama, modernism, science fiction/fantasy, surrealism and many others.
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