LibGuides: English: Subject indexes and bibliographies

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Bibliographical databases

Bibliographical databases, sometimes known as subject indexes, provide records of scholarly books, articles, conference papers and doctoral theses. They enable you to do deeper, richer research, and are particularly useful for longer essays and dissertations/theses. Below is a list of a selection of important bibliographies/indexes for Anglophone literary research.

Use of Library Search to find key books on your subject is recommended before you turn to bibliographies/indexes to do more in-depth research.

Core resources

ProQuest One Literature (including Literature Online) This link opens in a new window
An excellent resource for literary study and research, including references to scholarly books, theses, journals and other critical materials, and approximately 500,000 literary works from around the globe. Highly recommended for in depth research.
Note: ProQuest One Literature incorporates Literature Online (LION)
An excellent resource for literary study and research, including references to scholarly books, theses, journals and other critical materials, and approximately 500,000 literary works from around the globe. Highly recommended for in depth research.
Note: ProQuest One Literature incorporates Literature Online (LION)
Orlando This link opens in a new window
History of, and scholarship relating to, women's writing in the British and Irish Isles from the earliest times to the present day.
Perspectives into centuries of women's writing: includes entries on authors' lives and writing careers, contextual material, timelines, bibliographies.
Oxford Bibliographies Online This link opens in a new window
Authoritative guides to scholarship on a wide range of subjects, written and reviewed by leading academic experts.
Authoritative guides to scholarship on a wide range of subjects, written and reviewed by leading academic experts.
International Medieval Bibliography (IMB) This link opens in a new window
An index of scholarly research on history, literature and culture from 400 to 1500AD. Geographical coverage includes North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
An index of scholarly research on history, literature and culture from 400 to 1500AD. Geographical coverage includes North Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Gale Literature: Cross-Search Platform This link opens in a new window
Includes access to literary biographies, secondary works relating to literature, and primary works.
Gale Literature brings together Gale's premier literary databases into a single digital environment that allows researchers to search across a library's resources to discover and analyse content in entirely new ways. Includes access to biographies, literary criticisms, primary works, topic overviews, journals, and more.

Other useful resources

FIAF (International Index to Film Periodicals) This link opens in a new window
A scholarly index of film theory, history and criticism: particularly useful for finding scholarly writings on films, directors, cinema history. Further information about FIAF, and useful search tips can be found here: http://proquest.libguides.com/fiaf.
A scholarly index of film theory, history and criticism: particularly useful for finding scholarly writings on films, directors, cinema history. Further information about FIAF, and useful search tips can be found here: http://proquest.libguides.com/fiaf.
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) This link opens in a new window
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) is an essential online resource for social science and interdisciplinary research. IBSS includes journal articles and to books, reviews and selected chapters dating back to 1951. It is unique in its broad coverage of international material and incorporates over 100 languages and countries.
The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS) is an essential online resource for social science and interdisciplinary research. IBSS includes journal articles and to books, reviews and selected chapters dating back to 1951. It is unique in its broad coverage of international material and incorporates over 100 languages and countries.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
Oxford African American Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Scholarship focusing on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture.
Scholarship focusing on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture.
Project Muse This link opens in a new window
Covers literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, etc. Contains current full text scholarly journals which cover these fields and a significant collection of recent scholarly books.
Covers literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, etc. Contains current full text scholarly journals which cover these fields and a significant collection of recent scholarly books.
World Shakespeare Bibliography This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive index of scholarly writings on Shakespeare since 1960. Details of productions of Shakespeare's works worldwide, again since 1960.
A comprehensive index of scholarly writings on Shakespeare since 1960. Details of productions of Shakespeare's works worldwide, again since 1960.
EThOS (Electronic Theses Online Service) This link opens in a new window
UK’s national thesis service providing records of all doctoral theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions and free access to the full text of as many theses as possible. Please note: UK theses not available on EThOS can be requested via the Inter-Library Loan service.
UK’s national thesis service providing records of all doctoral theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions and free access to the full text of as many theses as possible. Please note: UK theses not available on EThOS can be requested via the Inter-Library Loan service.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new window
Includes citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present day. Full-text is available for most dissertations added since 1997. The official digital dissertations archive for the Library of Congress, it also includes UK & Ireland content.
Includes citations to dissertations and theses from 1861 to the present day. Full-text is available for most dissertations added since 1997. The official digital dissertations archive for the Library of Congress, it also includes UK & Ireland content.

List of all databases relating to English.

How to use bibliographical databases in your research

This interactive tutorial guides you through the process of using databases optimally to find information on your topic. It should take about 15-20 minutes to complete.

Image: an illumination from the Cobden Book of Hours, University of Bristol Special Collections