That will lead you to other key terms for your search. You may also want to do a web search to see what you can find online, but be sure to evaluate the academic credibility of the websites you use. You should probably begin by doing a search using the resources recommended on our Lyceum Search Page . Sites constructed for the purpose of advocating a specific social, political, or religious cause. Bibliographies allow you to go directly to some of the most important books and articles on your subject.
Some bibliographies list only primary works.
If you wanted to find everything ever written or published BY a specific writer, you would consult a bibliography of primary sources. Annotated bibliographies provide you with lists of recommended secondary sources along with a brief comment on each item summarizing its point and sometimes even evaluating its importance. If you are looking for historical information about a topic, for example, The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature , edited by Mary Beth Norton, can offer you consistently reliable advice. You can ask a librarian for help finding an appropriate kind of bibliography, or you can walk past the shelves of reference materials related to history and literature. You received a handout at the library on the resources you can use for researching literature.