DATABASE RESEARCH ONLINEPCC Library:

Before logging onto the PCC Library site, you will need the passwords. These change yearly, so access the information in the following way:

Once you log into MyPittCC, from your home page, select “services for students” from the green bar at the top

Select “passwords for library resources” This should pull up a chart. Print the

chart or copy down the information. You’ll need it later.

Now, GET STARTED…

1) Select the large PCC Library icon in the upper left of our class Moodle page.2) Select the “find articles” tab. Scroll down and select “subject list”3) Under the “jump to” column (left side) select “literature.” Now you have a two choices: Literature Criticism Online or Literary Reference Center.

Literature Criticism Online

1) Type the password that corresponds to the bulldog symbol. Select “proceed”

2) Select the “advanced search” tab at the top3) Type the title of the work you are researching in the top left box. Double check spelling!4) Select the appropriate choice next to it. Start with “named work.” 5) In the “Limit the Results” box, choose all type(s) of literature that apply

(CLC includes poetry, short stories, plays, and novels, so always include it)6) Select “Search” in the “limit the results” box.

7) With luck, you will see a list of items. Any that is labeled “work overview” is excellent.

8) When you select a title, you will see the scanned pages of a reference book. Read this in the same way you would read a book, turning pages using the “next” arrow at the top or bottom of the page. You are looking for the boldfaced heading “CRITICISM.”9) You will find articles from different authors discussing your work here. You can print the pages you need and highlight selections to use in your paper. This is a good idea because, later, you will need to use the boldfaced information in your works cited entry. (You can find the information you need in the “Source Citation” at the bottom of the screen, though it is not really in correct MLA format)

Literary Reference Center (EBSCO)

1) Select Pitt Community College from the list of libraries provided. Select “Next”2) Type the password that corresponds to the NClive.org symbol3) Select the “advanced search” tab at the top4) In the “Find:” box, type the title and author of your work separated by the word “and”

5) Next to “document types,” select “literary criticism,” “reference books,” and “periodicals” only6) Next to “limit your results,” check the box labeled “full text.” THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP. If you forget it, you will get a lot of brief paragraph summaries of the work—not what we want. 7) Next to “document type,” select “article”8) Select “search” at the bottom of the page

8) Select a title that seems appropriate for the subject matter of your paper.9) The screen that appears is the “citation” screen, and this is where you find all the information you will need to do the works cited page. You should print this page. 10) Select the link entitled “PDF Full Text” or “HTML Full Text”

11) You should see pages of the book where the article appears. Read the article just as you would a reference book, scrolling down to turn pages. You can print the pages you need and highlight selections to use in your paper. 12) When you are ready to find another article on the same work, just choose “result list” tab at the top. It will take you back to more articles on the same work, which you can read in the same way.

Use these sources to locate online articles to quote for support in your research papers.

REMEMBER: Determination is the key. If the first search doesn’t yield much, go back and try to refine the search to be more specific, or try alternatives like non-literary subject guides on topics related to the issues in your work, such as fear,love, communication (psychology or sociology), nature (biology or environmental science), or history.