Skip to Main Content

*English

A guide to research resources for the study of English language and literature.

Welcome

Welcome to the English library research guide. The primary purpose of this research guide is to help students and faculty with their research. This guide has been designed specifically for programs in the FSU English Department. In each tab on the left side of the page, you'll find the different programs offered by the FSU English Department along with recommended databases, journals in the field and other resources.

Below are some recommended databases to get you started on your research.

Journal Articles

Looking for Journal Articles? Below are some databases that will help you find academic and peer-reviewed articles.

Is it scholarly?

Scholarly sources can generally be identified by several features:

  1. Content: Is the topic of the article academic?
  2. Audience: Is the article written for a reader who is knowledgable about the topic?
  3. Language: Does the author use higher level language and discipline-specific terminology?
  4. Intent: Is the purpose of the article to report findings of a research project, present a case study, make an argument about a topic based on supporting evidence or research, etc?
  5. Authorship: Are the qualifications of the author listed?  For scholarly articles look for advanced degree(s) as well as experience writing and/or researching on the topic.
  6. Peer-review: Is the article peer-reviewed or refereed?  This means material is evaluated by experts and only published if it meets the discipline's standards.
  7. References: Does the author support his or her findings with references to other scholarly research in footnotes, endnotes or a bibliography at the end? 

This list was inspired by the many such lists available on library websites, especially that of Judith Downie at California State University San Marcos

Ask-A-Librarian

The Florida State University Libraries
FIND & BORROW | RESEARCH & PUBLISH | VISIT & STUDY | COLLECTIONS | ABOUT | HELP & SUPPORT

© Florida State University Libraries | 116 Honors Way | Tallahassee, FL 32306 | (850) 644-2706