Introduction: This guide lists a selection of useful resources for graduate students in English, with an emphasis on resources available through the University Libraries, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Research Competency Guidelines for Literatures in English
Association of College and Research Libraries
Literatures in English Section
Outcomes for Undergraduate English or American Literature Majors
Note: Links to further information have been added for University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. These are not part of the original Outcomes document.
I. Understand the structure of information within the field of literary research:
I.1 Differentiate between primary and secondary sources How to tell the difference
I.1.i. Learn to discover and use primary source materials in print and in digital repositories, e.g., ECCO and EEBO
I.2 Understand that literary scholarship is produced and disseminated in a variety of formats, including monographs, journal articles, conference proceedings, dissertations, reference sources, and Web sites Differences between popular and scholarly articles
I.3 Learn the significant features (e.g., series title, volume number, imprint) of different kinds of documents (e.g., journal articles, monographs, essays from edited collections) See links to "How to Read a Library of Congress Call Number: Youtube Video 2:46" and "How to Read a Citation: Youtube Video 1:45"
I.4 Differentiate between reviews of literary works and literary criticism
I.5 Understand the concept and significance of peer-reviewed sources of information Video on peer review
I.6 Understand that literary texts exist in a variety of editions, some of which are more authoritative or useful than others
I.7 Understand the authorship, production, dissemination, or availability of literary production. This includes understanding the meanings and distinctions of the concepts of editions, facsimiles, and authoritative editions
II. Identify and use key literary research tools to locate relevant information:
II.1 Effectively use library catalogs to identify relevant holdings at local institutions and print and online catalogs and bibliographic tools to identify holdings at other libraries
II.2 Distinguish among the different types of reference works (e.g., catalogs, bibliographies, indexes, concordances, etc.) and understand the kind of information offered by each
II.3 Identify, locate, evaluate, and use reference sources and other appropriate information sources about authors, critics, and theorists
II.4 Use subjective and objective sources such as book reviews, citation indexes, and surveys of research to determine the relative importance of an author and/or the relevance of the specific work Book Reviews Citation Indexes
Surveys of Research: American Literary Scholarship or Year's Work in English Studies (LOVE Ref PE58 .E6).
II.5 Use reference and other appropriate information resources to provide background information and contextual information about social, intellectual, and literary culture [Example of a resource: Dictionary of Literary Biography]
II.6 Understand the range of physical and virtual locations and repositories and how to navigate them successfully
II.7 Understand the uses of all available catalogs and services
III. Plan effective search strategies and modify search strategies as needed:
III.1 Identify the best indexes and databases
III.2 Use appropriate commands (such as Boolean operators) for database searches
III.3 Identify broader, narrower, and related terms or concepts when initial searches retrieve few or no results
III.4 Identify and use subject terms from the MLA International Bibliography and other specialized indexes and bibliographies
III.5 Identify and use Library of Congress subject headings for literature and authors
IV. Recognize and make appropriate use of library services in the research process:
IV.1 Identify and use librarians and reference services in the research process
IV.2 Use interlibrary loan and document delivery to acquire materials not available at one's own library University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Delivery Service
IV.3 Use digital resource service centers to read and create literary and critical documents in a variety of digital forms Digital Media Services at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities (CDRH)
V. Understand that some information sources are more authoritative than others and demonstrate critical thinking in the research process:
V.1 Know about Internet resources (e.g., electronic discussion lists, Web sites) and how to evaluate them for relevancy and credibility
V.2 Differentiate between resources provided free on the Internet and subscription electronic resources
V.3 Develop and use appropriate criteria for evaluating print resources
V.4 Learn to use critical bibliographies as a tool in evaluating materials
VI. Understand the technical and ethical issues involved in writing research essays:
VI.1 Document sources ethically
VI.2 Employ the MLA or other appropriate documentation style MLA Style FAQ
VI.3 Understand the relationship between received knowledge and the production of new knowledge in the discipline of literary studies
VI.4 Analyze and ethically incorporate the work of others to create new knowledge
VII. Locate information about the literary profession itself:
VII.1 Access information about graduate programs and specialized programs in film study, creative writing, and other related fields, and about workshops and summer study opportunities
VII.2 Access information about financial assistance and scholarships available for literary study and related fields
VII.3 Access information on careers in literary studies and use of these skills in other professions
VII.4 Access information on professional associations
National Council of Teachers in English
Western Literature Association
Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
Updated October 2016
