The following resources listed below are excellent to use when first learning how to work on a literary analysis or criticism. The Find Books, Articles, Media & More is a live catalog search engine that will open a new tab with search results after keyword terms are typed in and click to search. The video instruction below will walk you through how to use the HCC Library's Online Catalog and Literary Databases to search and locate appropriate literary resources for your assignments.
Choose the link below to watch a short video instruction on some best practices for using literature databases, showing you how to search for literary analysis and literary criticisms.
The following book titles used to be available in print at libraries, but now are accessed through online library databases. These are excellent sources to use when needing to find literary criticisms or literary analysis on a specific author or story. The story can be either novel length or short story, or play.
Short Stories for Students by 
Contemporary Literary CriticismThe Contemporary Literary Criticism is a series of books that are now available through a searchable database called Gale Literature Criticism. You can search this title through the HCC Libraries Online Catalog as well as through the database. Whichever way is easier for you. See the Database box for tips.
Short Story CriticismThe Short Story Criticism is a series of books that are now available through a searchable database called Gale Literature Criticism. You can search this title through the HCC Libraries Online Catalog as well as through the database. Whichever way is easier for you. See the Database box for tips.
Bloom's How to Write About...The series of titles called Bloom's How to Write About... includes such authors as Hemingway, Faulkner, etc.. This book series is available in both printed and electronic format.
The Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism is a series of books that are now available through a searchable database called Gale Literature Criticism. You can search this title through the HCC Libraries Online Catalog as well as through the database. Whichever way is easier for you. See the Database box for tips.
Critical InsightsThere is a series of literature books called Critical Insights that is published by Salem Press and are available in both print and eBook format through the HCC Libraries. The name of the database for access is called Salem Online or you can search the HCC Libraries Online Catalog for both print and eBook access.
The best types of resources to use for research on literary topics are:
See the information below for resources on the following authors:
See the information below for a sample of recommended resources for the assigned poets:
The best resources for research on drama can be found in:
See the information below in Literary Database Tips for resources on
Below is a sample of the type of books that are available in the HCC Libraries, online and in print, for this course. To look for more resources, use the HCC Libraries Online Catalog.
Gothic Writers by 
A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe by 
Lavish Self-Divisions: the novels of Joyce Carol Oates by 
Critical Companion to Mark Twain by 
Mark Twain's Short Stories by 
Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe by This is a great database to browse. At the Home Page, under Most Studied Authors, choose the View All option. The authors covered in this database will be shown and listed here in alphabetical order. Look for your author, such as O'Connor, and choose the author's name. Open the result Header called Literary Works and look for your story title.
This database is a collection of eBooks on a variety of topics. The best way to use this database is to type in your keyword search term(s) and under More Options > to Collection > Literature. See picture below for a sample:
This literary database is a great tool to find resources on themes, figure of speech and symbolism. Below is a sample search term entry.
JSTOR is an article database that is also very good to use for literature research. Here are two simple tips when JSTOR.
1. Use the Advanced Search option
2. After the results populate, narrow results by using the Subject filter. Choose Language and Literature.
When using this database, sometimes searching for the story title as the keyword search term develops the best results. Remember, DO NOT use reviews as a source for literary criticisms. Use Plot Summaries, Overviews, Literary Criticisms types of sources.
Salem Press is a large book publisher. Many of these books are in both print and eBook versions. The Salem Press database provides access to the ebook versions.
Use the Search box to locate resources for your author or playwright.
Published by Oxford University Press, Very Short Introductions introduce students to a topic, concept or in literature, authors and literary themes, genres and styles. The text is written in short, clear and concise terminology for easy understanding. The online database version also provides greater access. Titles are available in Print as well.
