EN 5394 - Research in English and Cultural Studies

For interested readers who have other vocational plans, its authors-experienced researchers themselves-provide an intimate view of the way professional scholars go about their specialized and challenging tasks. This extensively revised Fourth Edition takes full account of recent developments that have virtually revolutionized certain important areas of the discipline. Further chapters offer practical advice on bibliographical procedure and note-taking, on the writing of scholarly papers (in one of the best discussions of the craft of expository prose to be found in any textbook); guide the student through the great American and British libraries whose stocks of books and manuscripts are indispensable to original literary research; and reviews the rewards, obligations, and ethics of the profession.

Chapters include asking questions, finding answers; making an argument; writing your argument; and more.

The turn to fiction as a social research practice is a natural extension of what many researchers and writers have long been doing. Patricia Leavy, a widely published qualitative researcher and a novelist, explores the overlaps and intersections between these two ways of understanding and describing human experience. She demonstrates the validity of literary experimentation to the qualitative researcher and how to incorporate these practices into research projects. Five short stories and excerpts from novellas and novels show these methods in action. This book is an essential methodological introduction for those interested in studying or practicing arts-based research.

Evaluates more than 1500 important reference materials (books, articles, and electronic resources) in English and cultural studies.

Problems in Literary Research is 'a reference guide that teaches,' offering students of literature and library science a clear and pedagogically effective presentation of 36 of the most useful works for the study of English and American literature.

"Shows undergraduates how to use their research time efficiently and how to locate and evaluate material available from electronic databases and the Internet."

"Learn the skills that are essential to the success of any research project so that you can take control of the research process and make it work for you. Research Strategies is as friendly as a puppy, as informative as your friend’s Facebook account, and as helpful as a personal servant. Don’t start your research project without it."

Teaching literary research / Kathleen A. Johnson, Steven R. Harris -- Information literacy as situated literacy / Van E. Hillard -- "I couldn't find an article that answered my question": teaching the construction of meaning in undergraduate literary research / John C. Bean, Nalini Iyer -- Literary eavesdropping and the socially graceful critic / Kate Koppelman -- The printing press and the Web: modernists teaching postmodernists / Elizabeth M. Williams -- Researching Southwestern literature: challenges and strategies / Kate Manuel -- Literary research in a bilingual environment: information literacy as a language-learning tool / Miriam Laskin, José Díaz -- Ways of knowing: integrating folklore studies with composition and information literacy through a learning community / Vickery Lebbin, Kristin M. McAndrews -- The changing nature of the book: literary research, cultural studies, and the digital age / Austin Booth, Laura Taddeo -- Through the eyes of Picasso: literary research from the best of both worlds / Meg Meiman -- Libraries, librarians, and the resources of literary study / William A. Wortman -- Librarians influencing the literature core curriculum / Sheril J. Hook, Verónica Reyes-Escudero -- Training librarians for teaching literary research methods / Helene C. Williams -- Work in progress: a review of the literature of literary research instruction, 1978-2003 / Daniel Coffey -- Work in progress: a review of the literature of literary research instruction, 2002-2008 / Kathleen A. Johnson.

"Ranging from traditional approaches to contemporary perspectives, such as feminist and gender studies, cultural studies, and postcolonial studies, this handbook offers readers a variety of clearly articulated approaches to interpreting literature. This thoroughly updated sixth edition applies these diverse approaches to six classic works: "To His Coy Mistress," "Young Goodman Brown," "Everyday Use," Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn, and Frankenstein--in a way proven to elicit student analysis by enriching their response to and understanding of the individual works and critical theory."