Westfield State College Ely Library
Poetry: Reference Sources

See also:  Databases by Subject      Web Resources

The purpose of this guide is to help the student doing research on an individual poet or poem or on a particular period, school, or movement. The list of sources is not exhaustive; it is intended to lead the beginning researcher to the most important Reference sources available for the study of poetry. Please consult a Reference Librarian for additional suggestions.
 
Background Information Finding Tools:  Indexes to Periodical Articles and Books
Biographical Information                     Indexes to Poems
Criticism MLA Citation Style Sources
Web Sites
Background Information
ENCYCLOPEDIAS:
The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Poetry in English. Ed. by Ian Hamilton. New York : Oxford University Press, 1994.
    (REF PR601 O9 1994)
Consider this an alphabetical "map of modern poetry in English?from 1900 to [1994] and covers topics, movements, magazines, and genres as well as individual poets, dead and alive."

New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Ed. by Alex Preminger. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univ. Press, 1993.
    (REF PN1021 N39 1993)
The best source available for alphabetically organized entries about terms and concepts in history, theory, and criticism of poetry and poetics from earliest times to present. Information on individual poets is not available.

Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia (4th ed.). By Bruce Murphy. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1996.
    (REF PN41 .B4 1996)
A handy one-volume reference to identification of writers, summaries of specific works, and definitions of literary terms. Covers all periods of world literature. Useful for tracking down literary allusions.

SPECIALIZED DICTIONARIES:
Oxford English Dictionary (OED).
    (REF PE1625 .O87 1989)
This 23 volume dictionary is useful for tracing word history and historical usage at different periods. Quotations illustrate usage.

The Poetry Dictionary. By John Drury; foreword by Dana Gioia. Cincinnati, Ohio: Story Press, c1995.
    (REF PN1021 .D78 1995)
Look here for definitions of commonly used terms (e.g. "anaphora", "free verse", "music poem", "simile") describing poetry and poetics. See also: Poet's Dictionary (REF PN 44.5 P3 1989).

Dictionary of Foreign Terms (2nd ed.). Rev. and updated by Charles Berlitz. New York: Crowell, 1975.
    (REF PE1670 .M3)
Useful for translating foreign quotations that appear in literature.

Dictionary of Mythology, Folklore, and Symbols. By Gertrude Jobes. New York: Scarecrow, 1962.
    (REF GR35 .J6)
A 3-volume dictionary of terms relating to myth, folklore, folk sayings, and symbols of all countries and times.
 

Biographical Information
Contemporary Poets (6th ed.). Ed. by Thomas Riggs. Detroit, MI: St. James Press, 1996.
    (REF PR603 .C6 1996)
This excellent one volume source provides brief entries on poets which include a list of publications, brief biographies, and critical excerpts.  Check the older edition as well.
Dictionary of Literary Biography. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1978-
    (REF PS 129 D5)
This multi-volume work provides biographies and bibliographies. Check the last volume for an index to the whole set, or use the Gale Literary Index <http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Gale_Literary_Index>. Volumes of particular interest are:
        v. 5, 105, 120, 165, 169, 193: American poets since World War II
(first, second, third, fourth, fifth, & sixth series)
        v. 40: Poets of Great Britain and Ireland since 1960
        v. 41: Afro-American poets since 1955
        v. 45, 48, 54: American poets, 1880-1945 (first, second, and third series)
Contemporary Authors (Three series: First, Revised, and Second Revised). Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1981-
    (REF PN771 .C6x...)
To search for full text online entries from Contemporary Authors, use the database: Biography Resource Center.  This tool gives biographical information about contemporary authors and lists their works. When using the print version, look for the separate paperback index to the set which is also indexed in the Gale Literary Index.

Ely Library Catalog
    (Internet Site: http:/http://catalog.lib.wsc.ma.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First/)
Books about an individual poet can be found by doing a subject search using the poet's name as a subject heading. For example, type Dickinson, Emily and find several books about Emily Dickinson.  For online guide, see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm

Biography and Genealogy Master Index.
    (REF CT214 .B57)
An excellent place to begin a search for biographical information. This indexes over 500 biographical dictionaries.
 

Criticism
Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC)
Twentieth Century Literary Criticism (TCLC)
Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism (NCLC). Detroit: Gale, 1973-
    (Reference Tables)
These series contain excerpts from criticism of the works of novelists, poets, playwrights, and other creative writers from respective time periods. Use the cumulative index in the back of the last volume to locate appropriate entries. For an electronic index to these sources, see the Gale Literary Index (Internet Site:  http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Gale_Literary_Index).

Contemporary Literary Criticism Select       Limited to WSC community
    (Internet site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Contemporary_Literary)
This electronic version of selected parts of the Contemporary Literary Criticism (see above) provides full-text access to critical articles and excerpts of criticism on approximately 100 authors represented in the print volumes.   Use the Guide to Citing Full-Text Databases in MLA Style (http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/citemla.htm) when using the electronic version for references in a paper.  For an online guide, see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm

Critical Survey of Poetry (2nd revised ed.). Ed. by Philip K. Jason. New Jersey: Salem Press, 2003. 8 vols.
    (REF PR502 .C85 2003)

Poetry Criticism: excerpts from criticism of the works of the most significant and widely studied poets of world literature. Ed. by Robyn V. Young. Detroit: Gale Research, 1991.
    (REF PN1010 .P499)

Ely Library Catalog
    (Internet Site: http://catalog.lib.wsc.ma.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First )
See entries below under Databases: Indexes to Periodical Articles and Books for examples of subject headings that may be useful for finding books on literary criticism.

Poetry Explication: a checklist of interpretations since 1925 of British and American poems past and present. By Joseph Kuntz and Nancy Martinez. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1980.
    (REF PR502 K8 1980)
This volume is organized by author and then by individual work. Under the name of a poem find citations to periodical articles and book chapters. Refer to the front of the book for a list of abbreviations.

Articles on Twentieth Century Literature: an annotated bibliography 1954-1970. Ed. by David E. Pownall. New York: Kraus-Thomson, 1978.
    (Stack PN771 P66)
Cites journal articles written between 1954 and 1970 critiquing poems, short stories, novels, and plays.

Guide to American Poetry Explication. Ed. by James Ruppert. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1989. 2 vols
    (REF PS201 .R66 1989)

Guide to British Poetry Explication. Ed. by Nancy C. Martinez and Joseph G.R. Martinez. Boston: G.K. Hall, 1991. 2 vols.     (REF PR311 .M34)
Both volumes above are organized by author and then by individual work. Under the name of a poem find citations to periodical articles and book chapters. Refer to the front of the book for lists of abbreviations.
 

Databases: Indexes to Periodical Articles and Books 
Use to locate books, journal articles, and unpublished research.

Ely Library Catalog. Use to locate books, audio-visual materials, etc. in the Ely Library
     (Internet Site: http://catalog.lib.wsc.ma.edu)
The following is an example of subject headings relevant to Literary Criticism for use in the online catalog.  Do not limit yourself to this list!  Use the Library of Congress Subject Headings (Big Red Books) located by the card catalog for more possibilities ? or browse the online catalog for ideas.  For an online guide to the Ely Library Catalog see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm
 

(Poet's Name) - Criticism and Interpretation Allegory 
(Poet's Name) - Style [or technique]  Afro-Americans - Poetry 
American Poetry - 20th Century - History and Criticism  Children's Poetry 
English Poetry - Early Modern, 1500-1700 - History and Criticism  Epic Poetry - History and Criticism 
Poetry, Medieval - History and Criticism  Love Poetry 
Poetry, Ancient - History and Criticism  Sonnets 
Poets, English - 19th Century - History and Criticism  Women Poets 

MLA International Bibliography  (Modern Language Association) (1963- Updated Quarterly)
            Limited to WSC community
    (Internet site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#MLA International)
This database provides indexing to journals, books, book chapters, and dissertations relating to language, literature, and folklore. Materials indexed may be in any written language. Use the MLA Guide for appropriate limit features. For an online guide that includes Limit Commands, see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm

Essay and General Literature Index. 1900-
    (Periodical Shelves)
A valuable source for locating literary criticism in collections of essays. Look under the author's name as a subject heading. A list of books indexed can be found at the end of each volume.

See Also:
Expanded Academic ASAP       Limited to WSC community
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Expanded_Academic)
Academic Search Premier         Limited to WSC community
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#Academic Search)
Both of these databases contain general subject coverage including information on contemporary poets. Use for current magazine and journal references as well as full-text articles.  For online guides, see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm

ERIC (Best Features) (1966-)    Limited to WSC community
   (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#ERIC)
ERIC Search Wizard (Alternate Access) (1966-)
   (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#ERIC)
Subject Specific to all areas of Education and Instruction including the use of literature in the classroom. Abstracts journal articles and other documents. For an online guide, see Database Searching Guides at http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbguides.htm
 

Finding Tools: Indexes to Poems
The Columbia Granger's Dictionary of Poetry Quotations. Ed. by Edith P. Hazen. New York : Columbia University Press, 1992.
    (REF PN6082. C57 1992)
Use this volume to locate quotations and first lines in poems. Cited anthologies will lead you to the complete poems. Use the Subject and Keyword Indexes to find your quotation.

Last Lines: an index to the last lines of poetry. Ed. by Victoria Kline. New York: Facts on File, 1991.
    (REF PN1022 .K55 1991)

PoemFinder. Limited to WSC community
    (Internet Site:  http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/dbalpha.htm#PoemFinder)
Access to more than 30,000 full text poems plus references to anthologies and sources for 100,000 other poems. Searchable indexes of titles, first lines, last lines.

Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Anthologies. Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry in Collected and Selected Works. New York: Columbia Univ., 1940-      (REF PN1022 C63)
Easiest access to entries is through title, first line, author, and subject indexes.

Poetry by American Women, 1900-1975 : a bibliography. Joan Reardon and Kristine A. Thorsen. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1979.
    (REF PS151 .R4x)
This volume is organized by author, listing their published works. Use the Title Index to locate the author of a particular poem.
 
MLA Citation Style Sources
MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1998.
    (REF PN147 G444 1998)
This is the official manual explaining the MLA style of formatting research papers. It includes electronic sources.

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1995.
    (REF LB 2369 G53 1995)

MLA Style - How to Document Information
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/mlastyle.htm)
For examples of MLA citation style used for works cited and as citations in text, try this site.

MLA - Citing Library Database Articles in MLA Style
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/citemla.htm)
Here find examples of how to cite full-text sources from SIRS, Expanded Academic ASAP, Academic Search Full-Text Elite, etc., using the APA citation style.

MLA - Citing Web Pages in MLA Style
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/webmla.htm)
This page will give you the basics of how to cite home pages, business web sites, etc. using MLA format.
 

Web Sites

WWW Resources by Subject - English & Literature   (Ely Library at Westfield State College)
    (Internet Site: http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/eng&lit.htm)
This page includes links to Writing Resources, Authors, Poetry and Drama Resources, and to Technical Writing Resources.

Westfield State College logoURL:  http://www.lib.wsc.ma.edu/guidpoet.htm
Page maintained by Corinne Ebbs/SS
Last updated October 10, 2007 (update in process)