ENG108 Warren

Online Articles

Search in the databases listed below with the suggested terms listed above, under books.

Add additional terms related to the the theme or topic you are focusing on in your critique (e.g., gender, power, grief, religion).

Example:

Print Books

Search in CCC Library's catalog with the name of the story (Beowulf, Dante's Inferno, etc.), and terms like:

Example:

You can also search for characters, themes, motifs, or other elements from a story. Look for other keywords you can search with in the text of your assignment. For example, one topic idea given in your assignment is to analyze Christian elements in Beowulf. So, in addition to searching with the term Beowulf, you could also use the keyword Christian or Christianity along with Beowulf.

Example: 

1. Start big.

   1. Start your searches with the most important idea. If you get a lot of search results, you can add in more search terms. Adding more terms means you'll get fewer search results.
   2. If you get very few search results, you know you've either searched with the wrong word, or there isn't a lot available on your topic.

2. Use quotation marks.

   1. Use quotation marks around your search terms to search for the words in the exact order you would like, instead of separately.

3. Try, and try again.

   1. Searching is both a process and a result. Finding information isn't a one-and-done exercise. It is a process where you try something, assess what you found, and make changes and improvements. Each change means you'll find new information.
   2. As you learn more about your topic, you will need to search more for new information.
   3. Search in multiple places. That means trying different library databases (we have over 90), the library catalog, and Google.