Research Guides: English Language & Literature: Get Background Info

Why Use Reference Works?

Young woman sitting at the library using books and laptop Reference works -- like encyclopedias, handbooks, and dictionaries -- provide great overviews and background information.

They help you contextualize your topic and generate questions.
They help identify keywords you can use later when searching for scholarly sources.
They contain bibliographies that lead you to the most respected secondary and most useful primary sources on a topic.

In short, reference works are a great way to begin your research.

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Need to look up a name, place, term, or event? The sources below contain many different kinds of encyclopedias and dictionaries and are excellent starting points.

Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
Consists of a collection of core reference materials across numerous subject areas published by Oxford University Press.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Consists of a large collection of reference materials across numerous subject areas.
Sage Knowledge This link opens in a new window
Contains a collection of reference encyclopedias and handbooks focused on the social sciences.

Word Definitions, Spellings, & Histories

Need to find the earliest references to a word or phrase like "cockleburr"? Need to understand how a word was defined in a particular time period? Then these sources are for you!

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
The OED is the guide to the meaning, history, pronunciation, and variant spellings of words, both present and past.
Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) This link opens in a new window
Widely viewed as the American equivalent of the Oxford English Dictionary, DARE represents the full panoply of American regional vocabulary—from Adam’s housecat to Zydeco.

Literary Theories & Theorists

Still trying to wrap your head around a literary theory or theorist? Then this source is for you!

Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory This link opens in a new window
Contains contextual info on critics and theorists, critical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods.

Author Biographies

Gale Literature: Dictionary of Literary Biography This link opens in a new window
Provides biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres.
Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors This link opens in a new window
Contains biographies on contemporary and international authors, including poets, playwrights, dramatists, and journalists.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
Contains biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the 21st century.
American National Biography This link opens in a new window
Contains biographies on thousands of prominent American men and women, including authors.

Introductory Essays & Topic Overviews

Need some context? These are detailed guides to authors, composers, philosophers, genres, various literatures and other fields of study, providing context and analysis for a thorough introduction.

Cambridge Companions [via Cambridge Collections Online] This link opens in a new window
Contains many introductory essays on major writers, artists, topics, and periods.
Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
Contains introductory essays on world history, plus histories of cultural fields like literature, music and theatre, and even science.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Contains in-depth, topical introductions and reviews of the key issues and major scholarly debates across many different subject areas.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Provide concise introductions to a diverse range of subjects, written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, and new ideas to make challenging topics highly readable.

Novel Summaries, Themes, & Techniques

Salem Literature This link opens in a new window
Includes Masterplots and Magill's Literary Annuals. Contains analyses of the most important works in all genres -- long fiction, short fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction -- throughout history and around the world.

Literary Research Reference

Trying to identify appropriate reference sources and tools to consult? This guide is useful when planning how to approach a research topic, particularly in specific literary areas.