LibGuides: English (AP Literature): Kate Chopin : Databases

Kate Chopin

Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, USA

The Kate Chopin International Society
A reliable website with a wealth of biographical and critical literary material.

Database Search Strategy - Phrase Searching

Quotation marks are used around search terms that are phrases. By using quotation marks, you are telling the database to only bring back results with the words you typed in exactly the order you typed them.

Examples:

"Désirée’s Baby"

"Désirée’s Baby" and "Kate Chopin"

"Désirée’s Baby" and race

Database Search Strategy - Truncation

TRUNCATION

Technique that broadens a search to include word variations such as spellings and endings.

To use truncation, enter the root of a word and put the truncation symbol at the end. Database results should include various endings of the root word.

For example:

rac* = race, racism, racial, etc.

Truncation symbols may vary by database; common symbols include: *, !, ?, or #

Database Search Strategy - Boolean Operators

To be a successful searcher, you just need to know three little words: AND, OR, NOT. These are the three Boolean Operators used to connect your keywords when searching library databases.

Databases for Finding Background Information

Use these databases to locate articles that help you understand aspects of your short story. For example, get biographical information about the author, learn about the era that the author lived in or that is mentioned in the story, get historical data about a country or religion, or learn more about women's rights at different points in history. These articles are NOT literary criticism.

Biography in Context
This database of biographical information covers over 340,000 people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. It contains articles from reference sources, magazines and journals, as well as photos, audio, and video clips on individuals.
U.S. History in Context
U.S. history from pre-colonial times to the present. Access articles covering themes, events, individuals, and periods. Try BROWSE TOPICS to see popular American history topics. Click on the biographies section for in-depth coverage of a range of individuals.

Databases with Critical Literary Content

Literature Resource Center
Do research on literary topics, authors, and their works. The database includes all genres and disciplines, all time periods. Excellent source for literary criticism and work overviews.
JSTOR
JSTOR is an archive of academic journal articles, current to within 2 to 5 years. It covers a variety of disciplines, from the arts to the sciences.
Academic Search Premier
Search for articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers from virtually every area of academic study. Articles come from more than 8,500 journals, including more than 4,600 peer-reviewed titles.

All Databases at Bullis Library

ALL BULLIS LIBRARY DATABASES
Access the full list of databases to which Bullis Library subscribes.