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English

Research resources for the subject of English.

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Keywords and Search Terms for Literary Criticism

Sometimes the words you use to search a topic are different from the words used by the library sources. Try combining the title of your literary work or name of your author with the following words:

  • criticism
  • analysis
  • interpretation
  • imagery
  • symbolism
  • themes
  • history
  • context
  • social conditions or social aspects
  • a specific genre like war literature or war poems
  • a specific cultural or identity group
  • a specific era 
  • biography
  • primary sources

If you have trouble finding information on your topic, ask a librarian for help.