English 132: Cultural Encounters in the Age of Empire

Reference sources are authoritative works that you can refer to for quick information. They may contain specific information or introductory articles. Types of reference sources include encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, handbooks, atlases, bibliographies, etc.

Literary scholars often need reference materials related to biographical information on authors and literary critics. You will find some of this information in the encyclopedias and dictionaries, and especially the introductory works. Don't forget to try newspapers that are contemporary to the individual in question. Also try searching in the Library Catalog for the term for categories of authors, e.g., Irish poets, twentieth-century American dramatists, South Asian writers in English.

Two key sources for literature-related biography include Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. Both of these resources are available online in the Gale Literature Resource Center.

• Cambridge Companions (numerous Cambridge Companions related to Postcolonial Studies)
  • Cambridge Companion to the African Novel
  • Cambridge Companion to Postcolonial Studies
  • Cambridge Companion to the Postcolonial Novel
• Encyclopedia of Caribbean Literature
• The Oxford Handbook of Postcolonial Studies