English Graduate Class Page

LIBRARY INSTRUCTORS:
Rachael Cathcart -561-297-1217
Alyse Ergood -561-297-0204

MARCH 24, 2008

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The selected sources listed below are useful for finding information in books and articles in the subject areas of English and literature.

I.  FAU LIBRARIES CATALOG

The Library Catalog allows you to search for books, government documents, DVDs, electronic books, and other materials in the Library's collection. The catalog will tell you if the library owns a particular periodical (journal or magazine) but does not include the articles found in periodicals. To find these you must use a different database (see below). 

You can limit/focus you search in any of the following ways:

A. Keywords: May search for two keywords using the terms and/or/not to limit search.

B. Author's Name: Use last name first with no commas.

C. Title: If the title begins with A, An or The, skip the first word and begin searching with the next word.

D. Subject: Must be specific to Library of Congress search terms. Use dashes in narrowing your search.

The Advanced search screen allows you to combine terms using “and, or, not” as well as limiting a search by location, date, format, or language.

II.  Interlibrary Loan - Locating resources not available at the FAU Boca Raton Library


III.  RESEARCH GUIDANCE

Research Help Link

This link provides access to general and specific research information, such as finding books, articles, etc. at the FAU Libraries or through interlibrary loan, locating subject guides and library tutorials. Additionally, there is an FAQ page and information on how to get assistance from a librarian via Chat, email or reference consultations.

IV.  ELECTRONIC DATABASES

Electronic Databases are available from the FAU Libraries home page under "Quick Links" and then "Indexes/Databases". When accessing the databases from off campus, first be sure to click on the Off Campus Connect link and log in using your 14-digit Owl Card number. 

JSTOR  - Full Text
Journal Storage (More than 500 scholarly journals in education, humanities, mathematics, science [including the General Science Collection and Ecology and Botany Collection], and social science disciplines)

Literature Resource Center - LRC, Scribner, Twayne US, Twayne English, and Twayne World Authors  
Provides access to articles on biographical information and literary criticism and interpretation. Includes authors of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, history and journalism.

MLA International Bibliography
Includes references to literary theory and criticism from journal articles, books, dissertations, proceedings, essay collections and bibliographies. 

Project Muse  - Full Text
300+ Solarly journals in humanities, mathematics and social science disciplines.

V. WHERE’S THE FULL TEXT?
If you only find an article citation & abstract, and would like the full article, follow these steps:

1. DATABASE: Double check the citation in your list of results. Do you see anything that says Full Text, HTML, or PDF? If so, click on it for the full text. If not, go to the next option…

2. SFX or ELECTRONIC JOURNALS: Check SFX or the Electronic Journals page to see if we carry the full text through another database. If successful, print or save the article. If not, go to next option...

3. CATALOG: Check the Catalog to see if we carry the journal and correct volume for that article physically in the library. If yes, come in with the journal's Call Number, find the article and photocopy it. If we don't have it, go to the next option...

4. INTERLIBRARY LOAN: Request the article through our online ILLiad system. You'll be emailed when the article arrives. (The ILL department can get almost anything you need for your research; however they do need enough time to process your requests).

VI. OTHER SERVICES AND QUESTIONS

What's one thing you learned today?
What one thing is still unclear?
What's one thing you wished you learned?

VII. GETTING ADDITIONAL HELP

Ask-A-Librarian Email and chat reference help
Reference desk phone number: 561-297-3785
Make an appointment with a librarian: One-on-one reference consultation