Finding and using literary criticism

A guide for high school students to finding and using literary criticism, in print and on the web.

By Melissa Thibault

Learn more

Related pages

• A matter of identity: Writing an extended metaphor poem: Students apply their knowledge of literary devices by reading and analyzing the poem “Identity” by Julio Noboa Polanco. Students then create their own poem incorporating the literary devices studied and analyzed in the above mentioned poem. This lesson includes modifications for a Novice Low Limited English student.
• Using K-W-L to confirm what you know: Students will learn to use a K-W-L to activate their prior knowledge and help them set a purpose for reading and recording what they learned. They will also extend their K-W-L chart to confirm the accuracy of their prior knowledge and of what they learn.
• Digital literature: Electronic books offer numerous benefits: They're usually searchable, they can be made instantly accessible to the visually impaired, they're often free, and, perhaps best of all, they're accessible right now. This list compiles some of the best sources for finding great works of literature on the Web.

Related topics

• Learn more about English language arts, literary criticism, literature, and research skills.

Legal

Finding Literary Criticism in Print

Looking for critical reviews, interpertations and analysis of the literature you are reading in English class? Plan a trip to the library. More than likely, you will not locate the critical article you need online. Be sure to ask your media Specialist for help.

Start in the reference section. Chances are you have a scary-looking collection of large brown books from Gale publishers in your school’s media center. But how to find an article about your author or one specific work? Use the Literary Index to locate literary criticism in Gale’s resources.

For more information about locating Literary Criticism check out the Internet Public Library’s Literary Criticism Pathfinder.

Literary criticism on the web

• IPL Literary Criticism Collection Critical and biographical websites about authors and their works that can be browsed by author, by title, or by nationality and literary period.
• Literary Resources on the Web by Jack Lynch of Rutgers University
• Voice of the Shuttle A guide to online resources in the humanities disciplines.
• Critical Theory & Cultural Studies from the Eserver at the University of Washington.