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ENGL 1302 | Lana Myers

Essay 3: Theme Analysis

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DUE DATE

  • Final Essay due: Monday, May 2 (100 pts)
  • Important note! As communicated on the syllabus, incomplete essays will not be graded. Please finish Essay 3 at 1,500 words.
  • The last day a late essay will be accepted is the last day of the Final Exam: Thursday, May 12.

Video Tutorials

Below are video tutorials to help you navigate some of the library resources.

Reference Databases

The following resource will provide you some resources for background information. Doing background research will not only help you narrow your focus, but will also help you identify keywords to use when searching the databases for scholarly articles. 

Video Tutorials

Boolean Operators 

Using Boolean operators in a database is highly recommended, as this approach usually generates the most useful results.  Databases are not "intuitive" like search engines (e.g., Google) - they must be "told" how to process a search query.  Boolean operators let you "tell" the database what you want to see in your results.  

AND

Use AND to connect KEYWORDS - Retrieves sources with both/all terms [refines search]

Example: diabetes AND adult AND self-management 

OR

Use OR to connect SYNONYMS & LIKE CONCEPTS - Retrieves sources with either/any term(s) [broadens search]

Example: heart attack AND (female OR women) AND symptoms

NOT

Use NOT to EXCLUDE word(s) - Eliminates sources with the word(s) following NOT 

Example: Omega-3 fatty acids NOT fish oils 

Identifying Keywords

When you are conducting your background research on your topic, consider the who, what, when, where and why of what you are reading, and highlight or write the main points down. You can use those as keywords in the databases!


Who, what, when, where and why

Reference Databases (Background Research)

Literary Criticism Articles

eBooks

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Fences by August Wilson

A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Fences by August Wilson