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Contemporary Fiction: Research & Resources

Contemporary Fiction: Research & Resources. Frederic Murray Assistant Professor MLIS, University of British Columbia BA, Political Science, University of Iowa Instructional Services Librarian Al Harris Library frederic.murray@swosu.edu. ENG 3113 Spring 2010 .

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Contemporary Fiction: Research & Resources

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  1. Contemporary Fiction: Research & Resources Frederic Murray Assistant Professor MLIS, University of British Columbia BA, Political Science, University of Iowa Instructional Services Librarian Al Harris Library frederic.murray@swosu.edu ENG 3113 Spring 2010

  2. Narrative Knows No Bounds

  3. Critical Analysis • Toscano, Margaret M. "Homer Meets the Coen Brothers: Memory as Artistic Pastiche in O Brother, Where Art Thou?." Film & History (03603695) 39.2 (2009): 49-62. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2010 • The article discusses memory as an artistic pastiche in the 2000 film "O Brother, Where Art Thou," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The author states that the film questions whether historical accuracy is important in films that use classical antiquity as an indirect reference point. She explains that the Coens used key elements from the Greek epic by Homer, "The Odyssey," but set their film in the American south during the Great Depression. The article compares the classical text to the film and its portrayal of 1930s southern culture.

  4. Texts’ Under Question • A Character by Felipe Alfau • Ladies Almanack by Djuna Barnes • You Must Remember This by Robert Coover • Is It Sexual Harassment Yet by Cris Mazza • A Little Novel by Gertrude Stein • Little Expressionless Animals by David Foster Wallace • Bonanza by White • Surfiction by John Edgar Wideman • Menelaid by John Barth

  5. Thesis Statements Make an assertion Take a stand Explain what you’re going to write about Are narrow and specific Have one main point Think about questions your research might help you answer. State your topic as a question first, then revise it to be a statement. Create a Thesis Statement

  6. Identifying Keywords • Identify the significant terms and concepts that describe your topic from your thesis statement or research question. • These terms will become the key for searching catalogs, databases and search engines for information about your subject.

  7. How do I pick the right keywords? • Here is an example of a visual word search tool: • Visuwords • Use the suggestions made in the databases • Use keywords provided by abstracts • Use your imagination

  8. Possible Topic Coover’s Casablanca and the reality of melodrama: Passion, Sex and Comedy.

  9. Possible Topic Coover’s Casablanca and the reality of melodrama: Passion, Sex and Comedy.

  10. AND = Narrow OR = Expand Boolean • NOT = Exclude

  11. Database: Definition • A large, regularly updated file of digitized information related to a specific subject or field. • Communication and Mass Media CompleteThis resource provides in-depth coverage of communication and mass media journals and literature. It includes over 380 full text journals and indexing for hundreds more. CMMC also include author profiles for the most prolific, most cited, and most frequently searched for authors in the database.

  12. Library Subject Databases

  13. Possible Topic Coover’s Casablanca and the reality of melodrama: Passion, Sex and Comedy.

  14. McKee, Alison. "What's Love Got To Do With It?: History and Melodrama in the 1940s Woman's Film."Film & History (03603695) 39.2 (2009): 5-15. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.

  15. Abstract • The article discusses history and melodrama in the 1940s woman's film. The author begins by providing some background information on melodrama studies and feminist criticism of films. The author examines how historical figures and events are represented within specific cinematic categories. The disregard for historical accuracy in melodrama is mentioned. The author focuses on the historical moment of a film's production and the historical period it represents. The gender and subjectivity in women's films of the 1940s are also discussed. The film "That Hamilton Woman," directed by Alexander Korda, is used as a case study.

  16. Research • Interdisciplinary Approach • Looking for information on an idea • Not restricted to textual criticism or references to the work under investigation • In fact if you search by author or title in databases outside of literature…. …Good night, and good luck.

  17. JSTOR • JSTOR is a full-text scholarly journal archive. JSTOR specializes in making available the back issues of journals in a wide variety of humanities and social science disciplines. • Search by scholarly discipline

  18. Change up your Keywords….

  19. Abstract for Article • The article discusses kisses in the motion pictures of the U.S. at various dimensions from the first screen kiss to the modern screen kiss. The extreme close-ups, swelling music, and mysterious fade-outs indicate a grand communion in the screen. The touch, and taste, of a kiss is displayed to a great intensity. Screen kisses of various celebrities from different motion pictures are discussed including "Cinema Paradiso," "The Kiss," "The Widow Jones." The kiss in American motion pictures underwent through various level of changes including technological innovations. The screen kiss does not have as much importance as compared to the first screen kiss. More of lust and various forms of sex became the trend in the modern screen.

  20. Possible Topic Coover’s Casablanca and the reality of melodrama: Passion, Sex and Comedy. Or Passion and Casablanca and Sex and Film

  21. Project Muse • Project Muse contains the full text of over 40 Johns Hopkins Press scholarly journals in the humanities and social sciences • Search by scholarly discipline

  22. Research • Interdisciplinary Approach • Looking for information on an idea • Not restricted to textual criticism or references to the work under investigation • In fact if you search by author or title in databases outside of literature…. …Good night, and good luck.

  23. Break Out Session • Discuss synopsis • Brainstorm Thesis • Where are you going to look • List two Scholarly Fields • i.e. History, Film Studies • List three databases in each field • Why these choices? • What did you find?

  24. Brainstorming Tool Web 2.0

  25. Writing Your Paper • Writing Center • Located in the basement of the library • Call for appointment #774-7083 • MLA Style • Style Sheets • MLA Handbook at Reference & Circulation Desk • http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/

  26. Questions? • Contact me: • Frederic Murray • 774-7113 • frederic.murray@swosu.edu

  27. Thanks!

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