English 111 – Lukomski
About this Guide
This guide provides tips and tricks for finding print and online resources for your final paper in English 111 with Professor Lukomski. Use the tabs above to navigate through the pages of the guide.
Your Assignment:
A research project based on one or more of the three plays studied in the course (A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Piano Lesson, and Lydia), using a minimum of three critical (scholarly) essays and one discussion, such as a review, of the play in production.
Paper Writing Assistance
About SBCC’s Writing Center
The SBCC Learning Resource Center writing tools online
Need more help?
If you need more help with research, ask a librarian! Stop by the Reference Desk, or contact a librarian by phone, text, or chat for more help.
Developing Keywords
Sometimes the words you use to describe a topic are different than the words used by the library catalog or database. The trick with searching a library catalog or database is to discover the words they use!
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For example, another keyword for “stage craft” may be “set design” or “scenery”
OR, another keyword for “play” may be “drama” or “performance”
Before you search, try coming up with several ways to describe the topic. Using this technique will improve your success with searching as you’ll have alternative terms ready if your initial search doesn’t work.
For this assignment, try adding one or more of the following terms to your selected work or playwright’s name:
- playwright
- criticism
- criticism and interpretation
- analysis and interpretation
- history and criticism
- drama
- theater/theatre
- theater studies OR theatre studies
- theater review OR theatrical review
- production
Using Reference Sources for Background Research
Reference sources are an excellent starting point for background information on your topic. Reference sources can also be helpful when trying to identify keywords to use in other searches — when reviewing a reference source, you may find unique terminology that you can borrow to search for more specific information in books and articles.
Print Reference Sources
Print reference books are available in the Luria Library Reference section, near the Reference Desk. Try one of the books below, or as a librarian to recommend the best book for your topic.
- The World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre – R 792.03 R896w
- The Oxford Companion to American Theatre – R 792.0973 B729o 2004
Online Reference Sources
These resources are available online and will require you to login with your Pipeline account information when off-campus:
Finding Books
Use the library catalog to search for books in print and online!
Recommended Books
- Murphy, Brenda. O’Neill: Long Day’s Journey into Night — 812.52 M978o 2011
Finding Articles
Use library databases to find articles from periodicals (magazines, scholarly journals, and newspapers) about your playwright or work. To access these resources from off-campus, you will be required to login using your Pipeline account information.
Try using one or all of these databases to find literary criticism and theatrical reviews for your playwright and their work(s):
Recommended Periodicals
- Eugene O’Neill Review. Recent issues (published since 2012) are available through Project MUSE. Older issues are available through JSTOR.
Evaluating Websites
This final paper requires you to only use “library sources.”
While you will only be able to write your paper using library sources, you can still use the web to become more familiar with your selected playwright or work. However, it is inevitable that you will come across information that is inaccurate and/or misleading.
When using the web, consider applying the P.R.O.V.E.N. Test to identify if the information is suitable to use:
- Purpose: The reason the information exists
- Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs
- Objectivity: The reasonableness of the information
- Verifiability: The truthfulness and accuracy of the information
- Expertise: The source of the information
- Newness: The timeliness of the information
Citation
For this paper you will be required to cite your sources using MLA style.
MLA Guidelines from the Purdue OWL
Detailed MLA Instructions from the Luria Library
- MLA 8th Edition Instructions for Books
- MLA 8th Edition Instructions for Periodical Articles
- MLA 8th Edition Instructions for Websites and Webpages
Annotation
You will also be required to submit an annotated bibliography for this assignment.
