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Literary Criticism

A comprehensive guide to Kean University Library resources on Literary Criticism and Analysis. Provides links to both internal and external sources on World Literature.

Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

Need to select a research topic or find background information?  

The Reference Collection includes a variety of different sources, such as: subject-focused encyclopedias, handbooks, almanacs, maps/atlases, statistical compendiums, dictionaries, and more. Look here to find introductory articles on subject-related topics. The broad perspective offered by such articles often proves helpful for narrowing research topics before pursuing more in-depth information. 

This guide provides some recommendations for encyclopedias and other reference resources that might provide helpful information relating to your topic.

Recommended Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

Concordance to the Complete Poems and Plays of T.S. Eliot

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section (Second Floor)

Critical Survey of Long Fiction

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section (Second Floor)

Critical Survey of Poetry

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section (Second Floor)

Critical Survey of Short Fiction

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section (Second Floor)

Dante Encyclopedia

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of African American Women Writers

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of American Poetry

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Reference Collection Section  (Second Floor)

Encyclopedia of Ancient Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons(library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Writers and Their Work

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons(library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of Feminist Literary Theory

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of Feminist Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section ( Second Floor) 

Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons(library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 
Volumes 1-14

Encyclopedia of Literary Romanticism

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library)  Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section(Second Floor)

Greenwood Encyclopedia of Latino Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons(library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic American Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Main Collection Section(Second Floor)

Hispanic Literature of the United States

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link

Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Oxford Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Routledge Encyclopedia of Narrative Theory

Nancy Thompson Learning Commons (library) Electronic Resource Electronic Link 

Recommended Online Reference Databases

The following databases provide access to online encyclopedias covering multidisciplinary topics. Remember, these subject encyclopedias are great sources of background information on countless topics.

Working from off campus? If so, you will need to log in with your Kean Google username and password. 

Recommended Multimedia Databases

Working from off campus? If so, you will need to log in with your Kean Google username and password.