Literatures in English to 1650 (Middle English)
A Guide to Library Resources

Fall 2007

Dictionaries | Indexes, Databases & Bibliographies | Biographical / Critical Sources
Additional Reference Sources | Catalog
Interlibrary Loan | Resources on the Internet | Citation

DICTIONARIES

Oxford English Dictionary 20v. plus 3 volumes of Additions Series [RR PE1625.087 1989] Entries outline the history of a given word, from the date of its introduction to the present. Entries illustrate how meaning, pronunciation, and use have evolved over time. A good portion of each entry consists of examples of use over the centuries and includes references to the actual publications.

OED Online
Contains the complete text of the 20-volume Second Edition and its 3-volume Additions Series. St. Olaf has a subscription to this resource.

A Guide to the Oxford English Dictionary [RR PE1617 .049 B47 1993]
A great source explaining the various nuances of the OED.

Middle English Dictionary 13v. [RR PE679.M4]
Covers terms "from the Norman Conquest to the beginning of printing." As in the OED, entries include examples of use and note sources and dates. Citations to sources are often abbreviated - check the list of abbreviations among the front material. Also available online from the Middle English Compendium.

Stratmann's Middle-English Dictionary   [RR PE679 .S7 1940]

Old Frcnch-English Dictionary   [RR PR2891 .H56 2000]

INDEXES, DATABASES & BIBLIOGRAPHIES

MLA International Bibliography
The online version of MLA, produced by the Modern Language Association. MLA provides access to scholarly research in over 3000 journals and series. Also covers monographs, essays, working papers, proceedings and other formats. Subjects include literature, language, linguistics and folklore.

Middle English Compendium
"The Middle English Compendium has been designed to offer easy access to and interconnectivity between three major Middle English electronic resources: an electronic version of the Middle English Dictionary, a HyperBibliography of Middle English prose and verse, based on the MED bibliographies, and an associated network of electronic resources."

JSTOR
An index to and full text of select, academic journals. Among various disciplines covers language and literature, including PMLA and a range of core journals in the diverse fields of literary criticism that have emerged in the last thirty years.

Iter: Gateway to the Middle Ages and Renaissance
An index to books and journals in all areas of medieval and Renaissance studies (400-1700) since 1842.

Academic Search Premier
This database provides access to over 8040 multi-disciplinary publications, including language and literature, many in full-text. Covers 1975 to present.

The Middle English Lyric and Short Poem  [RR PR311 .G835 2001]
From the series:  Annotated Bibliographies of Old and Middle English Literature.

Guide to British Poetry Explication 4v. [RR PR311 .M34 1991]
Use Volume 1: Old English - Medieval

The New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature 5 v. [RR PR57 .N4 1969]
Contains citations to primary sources and secondary criticism. Especially useful as a supplement to the Norton Anthology when searching for an authoritative text. Volume 1 covers 600 - 1660.

Old and Middle English Literature - Goldentree Bibliographies [RR PR1505 .M32 1968]
"A guide to scholarship in important areas of English literature and culture before 1525."

Annotated Chaucer Bibliography, 1986-1996 [RR PR1905 .B69 2002]

BIOGRAPHICAL / CRITICAL SOURCES

Biography and Genealogy Master Index
An on-line index to biographical encyclopedias and dictionaries .

Dictionary of World Biography [RR CT104 .D54 1998]
Volume II:  The Middle Ages

British Authors Before 1800: Biographical Dictionary [RR PR105 .K9]

The Critical Temper: A Survey of Modern Criticism on English and American Literature from the Beginnings to the Twentieth Century 5v. [RR PR83 .C75]
Use Volume 1: From Old English to Shakespeare.

THE GALE SERIES:
Dictionary of Literary Biography [RR PN451 .D4---]
Covers writers, movements, and periods. Scholarly essays by authorities. Selective bibliographies. See especially: v. 146: Old and Middle English literature.

Poetry Criticism  (PC)    [PN1010 .P62-]
Excerpts from criticism of the works of the most significant and widely studied poets of world literature.  See especially Volume 19, pp. 1-79 for entry on Chaucer.

ADDITIONAL REFERENCE SOURCES

The Riverside Chaucer [RR PR1851 .B4 1987]

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer [RR PR1924 .O94 2003]

A Companion to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales  [RR PR1874 .H27 1995]

Chaucer A to Z : The Essential Reference to His Life and Works [PR1903 .R67 1999]

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language [RR PE1072 .C68 1995]

The Cambridge History of the English Language [RR PE1072 .C36 1992]
See especially v. 1: The Beginnings to 1066; and v. 2: 1066-1476.

Although reference in nature, the sources listed below are located in the general collection (Rolvaag stacks):
A Literary History of England [PR83 .B3]

Middle English Literature [PR255 .B45]
Part of series titled The Oxford History of English Literature.   Includes Chaucer.

Handbook of Middle English   [PE 535 .M62]

A Guide to Chaucer's Pronunciation   [PR1945 K6]

A Chaucer Glossary [PR1941 .C5]

CATALOG

Bridge catalogs resources available at St. Olaf and Carleton libraries. Use Bridge to search for books (including subject-specific bibliographies and biographies) and periodicals, but not chapters within books or articles within periodicals.

Search Bridge by Title, Author, Keyword or Subject. Some relevant subject headings:

You may request materials housed at Carleton directly from Bridge by clicking on the red "Request" button at the top of the screen.

INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Any item not owned by St. Olaf may be ordered through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provided you allow enough time. See the Reference Librarian for ILL forms. Also available on the homepage.

RESOURCES ON THE INTERNET

Remember to evaluate each site critically for authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

	Ask:	Look for:
Authorship	Who wrote the page? Does the author have appropriate education, training, or experience to write with authority (credibility) on this topic?	Linked biographical statements, resumes, or other background about the site author. If no individual author is named, consider the reputation of the organization associated with the site.
Coverage	Is the topic explored in depth? Is there considerable content on the page? Are entire articles or items provided or just excerpts from larger works? Does the site point you to other sites?	Sources documented with footnotes or links. Balance of text and images.
Objectivity	Is the presentation biased (one-sided) or balanced (both pro and con viewpoints provided)? Are claims and arguments supported (with documentation) or unsubstantiated?	References to alternative points of view. Factual documentation od arguments.
Currency	When was the page written or last updated? Is the site well maintained (eg.are links functional or broken)?	Page creation or revision dates. "What's New" page that describes when content was updated. Press releases or other dated materials.
Recognition	Do others recognize the value of this site, either in reviews or by linking to it?	Other sites that link to a site you are evaluating. Reviews of the site.

Based on "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask." UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops. 7Jan. 2005. 14 Feb. 2005. <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html>, and "Evaluating Web Sites." The Ohio State Univeristy Libraries. 14 Feb. 2005. <http://gateway.lib.ohio-state.edu/tutor/>.

A few good review sites that evaluate web contents:

Librarians' Index to the Internet -- "A searchable, annotated subject directory of more than 14,000 Internet resources selected and evaluated by librarians for their usefulness to users."

Infomine: Scholarly Internet Resource Collections -- "A virtual library of Internet resources relevant to faculty, students, and research staff."

The Scout Report Archives -- "A searchable and browseable database containing critical annotations of carefully selected Internet sites and mailing lists."

A few good sites to try include:

Chaucer:  An Annotated Guide to Online Resources -- "This site lists, evaluates, and describes many Geoffrey Chaucer -related Web sites. Topics include biography, bibliography, background, commentary, images, Middle English, and teaching resources. Searchable."

Chaucer Metapage --" A directory of Internet sites devoted to British author Geoffrey Chaucer, his writings (particularly The Canterbury Tales ), and medieval life generally. "

Geoffrey Chaucer -- Contains a Chaucer biography and chronology; annotated selections of the Canterbury Tales; and information on authors, life, and science during Chaucer 's time. Also explores Middle English grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. From Harvard University.

The Norton Anthology of English Literature -- "This companion to the print resource of the same name features "annotated texts and contexts grouped by topic, over 1000 illustrations, ... hundreds of annotated links to related sites [and] The Norton Online Archive, a searchable electronic library of over 150 literary texts and downloadable audio files, annotated by the editors." Also includes quizzes and essay topic ideas. Searchable or browsable by time period from the Middle Ages through the 20th century.

Medieval Resources -- "WWW Medieval Resources covers the literature and history of this period well with links to databases of texts, images, and archives of manuscript facsimiles, art, etc. Resources relating to the Canterbury Tales, Piers Plowman, and Bisclavret, among others, will be found.

NYPL Digital Library -- "NYPL Digital Gallery provides access to over 550,000 images digitized from primary sources and printed rarities in the collections of The New York Public Library, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints and photographs, illustrated books, printed ephemera, and more."

CITATION

Assembling a List of Works Cited in Your Paper . Includes thorough examples from Turabian, Chicago, MLA, and APA style manuals. Provided by Duke University Libraries.

Citation Guide from Purdue University by Jennifer Liethen Kunka and Joe Barbato. Provides examples and explanations of in-text citations and works cited in MLA format.

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers Rolvaag Reference Room [RR LB2369. G53]

 

Contact Information:	Page Information:
Kasia Gonnerman Rolvaag Library 301 507-646-3501 gonnermk@stolaf.edu	Created by: Kasia Gonnerman | 02/01/06 Created for: Mary Trull & Karen Marsalek Updated by: Kasia Gonnerman | 09/18/07