what is literary research

Chapter Four: Theory, Methodologies, Methods, and Evidence

Research Methods

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This page discusses the following topics:

Research Goals

Research method types.

Before discussing research methods , we need to distinguish them from methodologies and research skills . Methodologies, linked to literary theories, are tools and lines of investigation: sets of practices and propositions about texts and the world. Researchers using Marxist literary criticism will adopt methodologies that look to material forces like labor, ownership, and technology to understand literature and its relationship to the world. They will also seek to understand authors not as inspired geniuses but as people whose lives and work are shaped by social forces.

Example: Critical Race Theory Methodologies

Critical Race Theory may use a variety of methodologies, including

Interest convergence: investigating whether marginalized groups only achieve progress when dominant groups benefit as well
Intersectional theory: investigating how multiple factors of advantage and disadvantage around race, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc. operate together in complex ways
Radical critique of the law: investigating how the law has historically been used to marginalize particular groups, such as black people, while recognizing that legal efforts are important to achieve emancipation and civil rights
Social constructivism: investigating how race is socially constructed (rather than biologically grounded)
Standpoint epistemology: investigating how knowledge relates to social position
Structural determinism: investigating how structures of thought and of organizations determine social outcomes

To identify appropriate methodologies, you will need to research your chosen theory and gather what methodologies are associated with it. For the most part, we can’t assume that there are “one size fits all” methodologies.

Research skills are about how you handle materials such as library search engines, citation management programs, special collections materials, and so on.

Research methods are about where and how you get answers to your research questions. Are you conducting interviews? Visiting archives? Doing close readings? Reviewing scholarship? You will need to choose which methods are most appropriate to use in your research and you need to gain some knowledge about how to use these methods. In other words, you need to do some research into research methods!

Your choice of research method depends on the kind of questions you are asking. For example, if you want to understand how an author progressed through several drafts to arrive at a final manuscript, you may need to do archival research. If you want to understand why a particular literary work became a bestseller, you may need to do audience research. If you want to know why a contemporary author wrote a particular work, you may need to do interviews. Usually literary research involves a combination of methods such as archival research , discourse analysis , and qualitative research methods.

Literary research methods tend to differ from research methods in the hard sciences (such as physics and chemistry). Science research must present results that are reproducible, while literary research rarely does (though it must still present evidence for its claims). Literary research often deals with questions of meaning, social conventions, representations of lived experience, and aesthetic effects; these are questions that reward dialogue and different perspectives rather than one great experiment that settles the issue. In literary research, we might get many valuable answers even though they are quite different from one another. Also in literary research, we usually have some room to speculate about answers, but our claims have to be plausible (believable) and our argument comprehensive (meaning we don’t overlook evidence that would alter our argument significantly if it were known).

A literary researcher might select the following:

Theory: Critical Race Theory

Methodology: Social Constructivism

Method: Scholarly

Skills: Search engines, citation management

Wendy Belcher, in Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks , identifies two main approaches to understanding literary works: looking at a text by itself (associated with New Criticism ) and looking at texts as they connect to society (associated with Cultural Studies ). The goal of New Criticism is to bring the reader further into the text. The goal of Cultural Studies is to bring the reader into the network of discourses that surround and pass through the text. Other approaches, such as Ecocriticism, relate literary texts to the Sciences (as well as to the Humanities).

The New Critics, starting in the 1940s, focused on meaning within the text itself, using a method they called “ close reading .” The text itself becomes e vidence for a particular reading. Using this approach, you should summarize the literary work briefly and q uote particularly meaningful passages, being sure to introduce quotes and then interpret them (never let them stand alone). Make connections within the work; a sk “why” and “how” the various parts of the text relate to each other.

Cultural Studies critics see all texts as connected to society; the critic therefore has to connect a text to at least one political or social issue. How and why does the text reproduce particular knowledge systems (known as discourses) and how do these knowledge systems relate to issues of power within the society? Who speaks and when? Answering these questions helps your reader understand the text in context. Cultural contexts can include the treatment of gender (Feminist, Queer), class (Marxist), nationality, race, religion, or any other area of human society.

Other approaches, such as psychoanalytic literary criticism , look at literary texts to better understand human psychology. A psychoanalytic reading can focus on a character, the author, the reader, or on society in general. Ecocriticism look at human understandings of nature in literary texts.

We select our research methods based on the kinds of things we want to know. For example, we may be studying the relationship between literature and society, between author and text, or the status of a work in the literary canon. We may want to know about a work’s form, genre, or thematics. We may want to know about the audience’s reading and reception, or about methods for teaching literature in schools.

Below are a few research methods and their descriptions. You may need to consult with your instructor about which ones are most appropriate for your project. The first list covers methods most students use in their work. The second list covers methods more commonly used by advanced researchers. Even if you will not be using methods from this second list in your research project, you may read about these research methods in the scholarship you find.

Most commonly used undergraduate research methods:

Scholarship Methods: Studies the body of scholarship written about a particular author, literary work, historical period, literary movement, genre, theme, theory, or method.
Textual Analysis Methods: Used for close readings of literary texts, these methods also rely on literary theory and background information to support the reading.
Biographical Methods: Used to study the life of the author to better understand their work and times, these methods involve reading biographies and autobiographies about the author, and may also include research into private papers, correspondence, and interviews.
Discourse Analysis Methods: Studies language patterns to reveal ideology and social relations of power. This research involves the study of institutions, social groups, and social movements to understand how people in various settings use language to represent the world to themselves and others. Literary works may present complex mixtures of discourses which the characters (and readers) have to navigate.
Creative Writing Methods: A literary re-working of another literary text, creative writing research is used to better understand a literary work by investigating its language, formal structures, composition methods, themes, and so on. For instance, a creative research project may retell a story from a minor character’s perspective to reveal an alternative reading of events. To qualify as research, a creative research project is usually combined with a piece of theoretical writing that explains and justifies the work.

Methods used more often by advanced researchers:

Archival Methods: Usually involves trips to special collections where original papers are kept. In these archives are many unpublished materials such as diaries, letters, photographs, ledgers, and so on. These materials can offer us invaluable insight into the life of an author, the development of a literary work, or the society in which the author lived. There are at least three major archives of James Baldwin’s papers: The Smithsonian , Yale , and The New York Public Library . Descriptions of such materials are often available online, but the materials themselves are typically stored in boxes at the archive.
Computational Methods: Used for statistical analysis of texts such as studies of the popularity and meaning of particular words in literature over time.
Ethnographic Methods: Studies groups of people and their interactions with literary works, for instance in educational institutions, in reading groups (such as book clubs), and in fan networks. This approach may involve interviews and visits to places (including online communities) where people interact with literary works. Note: before you begin such work, you must have Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval “to protect the rights and welfare of human participants involved in research.”
Visual Methods: Studies the visual qualities of literary works. Some literary works, such as illuminated manuscripts, children’s literature, and graphic novels, present a complex interplay of text and image. Even works without illustrations can be studied for their use of typography, layout, and other visual features.

Regardless of the method(s) you choose, you will need to learn how to apply them to your work and how to carry them out successfully. For example, you should know that many archives do not allow you to bring pens (you can use pencils) and you may not be allowed to bring bags into the archives. You will need to keep a record of which documents you consult and their location (box number, etc.) in the archives. If you are unsure how to use a particular method, please consult a book about it. [1] Also, ask for the advice of trained researchers such as your instructor or a research librarian.

What research method(s) will you be using for your paper? Why did you make this method selection over other methods? If you haven’t made a selection yet, which methods are you considering?
What specific methodological approaches are you most interested in exploring in relation to the chosen literary work?
What is your plan for researching your method(s) and its major approaches?
What was the most important lesson you learned from this page? What point was confusing or difficult to understand?

Write your answers in a webcourse discussion page.

Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone Undertaking a Research Project by Catherine, Dr. Dawson
Practical Research Methods: A User-Friendly Guide to Mastering Research Techniques and Projects by Catherine Dawson
Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches by John W. Creswell Cheryl N. Poth
Qualitative Research Evaluation Methods: Integrating Theory and Practice by Michael Quinn Patton
Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches by John W. Creswell J. David Creswell
Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners by Ranjit Kumar
Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques by C.R. Kothari

Strategies for Conducting Literary Research Copyright © 2021 by Barry Mauer & John Venecek is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Literary Research: Introduction

Introduction
Using Gale Literature
Using Oxford Reference Online Premium
Using Biography - Gale in Context
Using the Issues & Controversies Databases
Where to find additional sources
Research and Citation
Online Student Guide This link opens in a new window

What is literary research?

So what does that mean?

You are not reporting.
You are not simply summarizing; although you may have to summarize a bit in order to make your point.
You are saying something new about the work, expanding on what others have said...or you are saying something in a new or original way.
You assert something ( make a claim about the work ...this is your thesis), and then support it with discussion using evidence from the work itself, evidence from other works, and/or evidence from "the conversation," i.e., what others have said.
You very likely will not find "the perfect source" that says everything you need it to say. You'll need to use information from different sources, possibly even from other disciplines (such as history, psychology, anthropology, etc.) along with with evidence from the work itself to make the points that flesh out and support your thesis. Click on the Finding Sources tab of this guide for a list of suggested databases!

Librarians Who Can Help

How to Start

There are many ways to get started on literary research:.

Your professor may have provided a list of topics from which to choose - these are usually a good option because there will definitely be something "there" when you get started. In other words, your professor likely would not have suggested a topic that leads to a dead end.

It's possible, though, that none of the available choices appeal to you, and if your professor has said other topics are allowed (generally this would be with the condition of approval by him/her), consider pursuing the following strategies. The upside here is that whenever possible, it's better, easier, and more fun to research something that truly interests or intrigues you . To do research well, you have to spend a lot of time thinking, reading, and writing about the topic; most would agree that it's easier if it doesn't bore you to death. So, consider these options:

Next: Finding Sources >>
Last Updated: Mar 20, 2024 5:49 PM
URL: https://guides.library.tulsacc.edu/LiteraryResearch

University Library

Research Guides

Literature and Literary Research

Getting Started
Finding Books and Articles
Finding and Using Archival Sources
Finding and Using Reference Sources
Working Smarter

What's a good topic?

Choosing a topic can be one of the hardest parts of writing a paper. There are so many possible things to write about, and even if you have a general idea, it can be hard to know whether your topic is a good one.

Writing a literature paper is different from writing many other kinds of papers. In literary analysis, it's not the ideas of other people that matter as much as your own interpretation of the texts you're reading. The bulk of your paper will be made up of your analysis of the text: the use of language, imagery, rhythm and repetition, word choice, the structure of the plot, or the representations of characters, emotions, events, or places. Your job is to analyze these elements of the text and through your analysis to assert an idea, or a claim, about the text, the author, or the context in which the text was written.

So what makes a good topic? A good topic is a theme that you think is represented in the text you're reading. But how do you get from a good topic to a good research question?

What's a good research question?

Once you recognize a theme in a text or texts, your next step is to determine what you think the texts are saying about that theme. Read the text again, paying particular attention to your theme. What does your interpretation lead you think about the theme or idea? This is your claim, and your paper is structured around using analysis of the text or texts to support your claim.

For example, you may be interested in looking at community or society in Thoreau's "Walden." You may have read the text and noticed a contradiction between Thoreau's claims of self-reliance and his interaction with society. You would then re-read the text, asking yourself as you read "What is the representation of society and Thoreau's relationship to it in 'Walden'?" After reading the text closely and paying special attention to these aspects of "Walden," you may be ready to make the claim that while Thoreau believed he was self-reliant, in truth he was still part of a network of people, and still part of his society and community. Or you may discover that your initial thought was wrong, and that Thoreau really did separate himself from his community in the way he wrote about.

Types of Sources

There are a lot of different kinds of sources that you can use in your analysis. This guide will show you how to find and use these by type.

Primary Sources are the main pieces of evidence you will use to make your claim. The texts you are reading are a primary source; they are the most important primary source you're working with. Other examples are newspaper and magazine articles, diaries and letters, photographs, maps, and reviews written or created at the same time as your text. These sources can help you put your subject into context.

Reference Sources give you a broad overview of a person, place, event, or idea. They provide commonly known facts. Reference sources are not cited in your paper, but can be very useful for grounding you in your subject and ensuring that you have solid background information. Literary biographies are a form of reference material, and give you lots of information about authors, with an emphasis on how their lives are related to their writing.

Secondary Sources are also sometimes referred to as criticism. These are books and articles that scholars have written about a particular work of literature, movement, or author. Criticism can help you get a sense of the themes that other scholars read in a particular text. They may help inform your own understanding of a text, either because they reinforce your interpretation, or differ from it. Criticism is usually published in books or as articles in scholarly journals.

So how do I use sources?

Primary sources are the evidence that we use to support our claims. They aren't the articles that other scholars and researchers have written, but original source material that we can use to better understand our topic. Primary sources in literary research include the text or texts that you're analyzing, but might also include additional material like letters written by the author, photographs, reviews written when the text was published, newspapers articles. Many different kinds of things can be used as primary sources, depending on your subject.

For example, if you're studying Thoreau's relationships with others, you may want to find out more about Thoreau's role in his community by reading primary source material (letters that he wrote to friends and colleagues, newspaper articles about him or about his community) or by reading more about the context of his life in Massachusetts (the political and artistic movements of which he was part, the actual location of his cabin in relation to the town of Concord). These additional sources are used to support your interpretation of the text you're analyzing.

You may want to use secondary sources to discuss other scholars' ideas and interpretations of the topic and text you're writing about, especially if you don't agree with their interpretations. Pay especially close attention to aspects of your topic that scholars don't agree about, and to different interpretations or ideas about a text. If there are major debates about the authors or texts you're studying, you'll want to reference them in the paper to help inform your reader and provide context to your own interpretation.

Next: Finding Books and Articles >>
Last Updated: Feb 2, 2024 12:45 PM
URL: https://libguides.sonoma.edu/literature

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What Is Literature Research?

Literature research refers to the scholarly, critical study of literature, generally for analysis purposes. It is often done as part of a degree program, such as a degree in English, but some people simply choose to study literature on their own as part of a hobby. Basic literature research may also take place in high school, but most students don't really begin diving into true literary analysis until college. For professors of literature, this type of research will generally continue throughout their careers, as they publish scholarly papers on their topics of choice. Many universities require this of their professors.

The methods for literature research are generally fairly similar across the board. An individual wanting to study a certain aspect of a piece of literature, such as a certain theme, piece of imagery, type of characterization, etc., will generally form a question about this idea. It is necessary that the question be debatable in order to produce a truly interesting, worthwhile paper. Then, the individual will begin examining the research that already exists in this topic from other scholarly researchers.

In most cases, the researcher will make sure to study and respond to all sides of a debatable issue when writing his or her own literature research. Of course, it is entirely possible that no one else has written about one specific idea for one specific piece of literature before; in this case, the researcher will need to find related examples for similar ideas or other similar pieces of literature. It is also common practice for literature researchers to compare a few different works to each other; this can be different works by the same author or by different authors.

The process of literary review, critique, and analysis can be lengthy and challenging. It is necessary in literature research for the researcher to add his or her own ideas in addition to the primary and secondary sources she collects for the research. If the research will eventually be published in a scholarly journal, it will be necessary for the piece to go through a lengthy peer review process as well. In this process, the researcher's colleagues will review the piece and offer critical feedback on it to ensure that the piece is the best it can be. Students completing this type of research that will not be published will not need to go through the peer review process, though some instructors will encourage peer reviews in the classroom to get students in practice of critiquing others' work.

AS FEATURED ON:

What Are the Best Tips for Writing a Literature Review?
What Is Classic Literature?
What Is Involved in the Study of Literature?
What Is Literature Analysis?
What Is Comparative Literature?
What Is Literary Criticism?
What is Jungian Literary Criticism?

Discussion Comments

Post your comments.

By: Chris Hart The classics are a common focus of literary research.
By: Chris Tefme Literature research refers to the scholarly, critical study of literature, generally for analysis purposes.
By: Syda Productions Literature research may be conducted online.
By: daniaphoto College students often review literature research when writing an essay.
By: nyul Some instructors strongly encourage peer reviews to get students in practice of critiquing the work of others.
By: Kenneth Sponsler Literature research may focus on comparing different texts.

ENGL 30101 — Introduction to Literary Studies

What is literary research, scholars' advice on literary research.

Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Searching Catalogs and Databases
Citing Sources

Daniel Johnson

Hesburgh Library 250C Navari Center for Digital Scholarship University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 46556

(574) 631-3457 [email protected]

The academic study of literature emphasizes participation in a long and vibrant conversation. Your job as researcher is not simply to rehearse literary history or summarize plots (though knowing these contexts is essential), but to make a case for your own interpretation using the best evidence available. This is difficult. Words are inexact and evocative, conjuring different experiences for different readers, but interpretation cannot be purely subjective sport. The insight of other voices is essential to ground one’s own argument and guard against errors of the heart—personal blind spots that may obscure important elements of the text.

Read and reflect on your text(s), following your instincts about what seems interesting, strange, or unusual: what non-obvious, hard-to-pin-down aspect captures your attention? Once you have a hunch about something, use the library’s catalog and databases (see tabs above) to track down secondary sources that may address the same topic or a closely related one. The point is not to argue with scholars (though you might) or to adopt their views as your own, but to bring your insight to bear on the continuing discussion.

Make sure to use a good quality version of the text(s) you are analyzing. This could be your class copy of a work; it could be physical or electronic holdings available at the library (see primary sources tab above). Scholarly editions are better than free versions online which often do not offer citable page numbers and may introduce textual errors. Instead, look for recent editions (last 30 years) that come with an introduction by a professor.

Always, always cite primary and secondary research you use, whether you directly quote someone’s words or simply paraphrase their arguments. And if you have any questions, please contact me or another librarian, who will be happy to help.

Literary research can be thorny, so many professors have written how-to manuals to help students develop top-level work. However: while many principles are widely shared in the profession, know too that even "best practices" can be contestable and open to debate. For your own writing assignments, you should follow the advice and requests of your professor. But for additional perspective and a deeper dive into the subject, you may wish to consult the resources below. Just remember the caveat: different professors will have different perspectives on the process. Feel free to contact your course instructor or me if you have any questions about writing your paper.

Getting an A on an English Paper; Jack Lynch, Rutgers University - Newark An "old" page in terms of the Internet, Professor Lynch offers a concise guide to the English paper from the perspective of an eighteenth-centuryist.
Crash Course in Writing Effective Essays; Herman Rapaport, Wake Forest University Humorous and occasionally caustic, Professor Rapaport offers his paper-writing advice on a single page, with helpful lists of compositional "sins" in the right-hand column.
Connections: A Hypertext Resource for Literature; Erik Simpson, Grinnell Professor Simpson's pithy and sharp-looking guides on English research and writing, starting with the "Five Ways of Looking at a Thesis," can be instructive for students at all levels of experience.
Next: Primary Sources >>
Last Updated: Oct 24, 2023 10:28 AM
URL: https://libguides.library.nd.edu/english-30101

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ZSR Library

Basic literature research guide: doing literary research.

Doing Literary Research
Literary Texts & Primary Sources

Hello! This guide is to help any student do research for literature classes. If you want to meet one-on-one with a librarian, use the profile box on this page to meet with me, or use the Humanities librarians group to find another librarian who can meet with you.

Primary Sources

Other ZSR Primary Source Databases Full listing of all the ZSR primary source databases
English Literature Primary Souces
Early English Books Online - EEBO This link opens in a new window Full text of books, pamphlets and broadsides published in England or in English between 1475 and 1700. Includes many of the items indexed in the English Short Title Catalogue. Corresponds to the Pollard and Redgrave, and Wing Short-Title Catalogues, as well as Thomason Tracts. Coverage: 1473-1700
Early English Prose Fiction This link opens in a new window Over 200 works of fictional prose by writers from the British Isles from the period 1500-1700. Coverage: 1500-1700
Early American Imprints, Series I & II (combined) This link opens in a new window Includes the full text of all known existing books, pamphlets, and broadsides published in the 13 colonies and the United States between 1639-1819. Combined search of both the Evans collection and the Shaw & Shoemaker collection. Coverage: 1639-1819
Early American Fiction This link opens in a new window A collection of American novels and short stories written before 1875. Includes both well-known and obscure figures. Coverage: 1789-1875
Eighteenth-Century Fiction This link opens in a new window Contains 96 works in English prose by 18th Century British writers. Coverage: 1700-1780
Eighteenth Century Collections Online - ECCO This link opens in a new window Contains books, pamphlets and broadsides published in England or in English between 1701 and 1800. Includes many of the items indexed in the English Short Title Catalogue. Coverage: 1701-1800
Eighteenth Century Drama This link opens in a new window Archive of almost every play submitted for licence in England between 1737 and 1824. Also includes The London Stage 1660-1800 which is a searchable database of every performance in London during those years and the Biographical Dictionary of Actors etc. 1660-1800.
Nineteenth-Century Fiction This link opens in a new window Includes 250 novels from the period 1786 to 1903, including works by all the major Victorian novelists such as Dickens, Thackeray, the Brontes, Eliot and Hardy, as well as the landmarks of Gothic and other fiction from the Romantic period. Coverage: 1786-1903
Nineteenth Century Collections Online This link opens in a new window Primary source collections of the “long” nineteenth century. Collections are sourced through partnerships with major world libraries and specialist libraries. Content includes monographs, newspapers, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, and more. Coverage: 1769-1906
Literary Manuscripts: Berg This link opens in a new window Manuscript collections of Victorian authors from the Berg collection at the NY Public Library. Each author collection is included in its entirety. Authors represented include: Matthew Arnold, Emily Bronte, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Browning, Wilkie Collins, Joseph Conrad, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, George Gissing, Thomas Hardy, Henry James, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Ruskin, Alfred Tennyson, William Makepeace Thackeray.
Literary Manuscripts: Leeds This link opens in a new window This resource contains manuscripts of 17th and 18th century verse held in the Brotherton Collection at the University of Leeds. Alongside original compositions are copied verses, translations, songs and riddles.
Perdita Manuscripts This link opens in a new window Manuscripts written or compiled by women in the British Isles during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Produced in association with the Perdita Project based at the University of Warwick and Nottingham Trent University, the project seeks to rediscover early modern women authors who were “lost” because their writing exists only in manuscript form. Coverage: 1500-1700
Editions and Adaptations of Shakespeare This link opens in a new window Contains 11 major editions from the First Folio of 1623 to the Cambridge edition of 1863-6, 28 separate contemporary printings of individual plays and poems, selected apocrypha, and related works. Also contains more than one hundred adaptations, sequels and burlesques from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Coverage: 1591-1911
New Oxford Shakespeare Online This link opens in a new window Full Oxford editions of all of Shakespeare's works, both in modern spelling and original spelling. Also includes the Oxford Authorship Companion and introductory materials for each play.

Writing and Language Help

ZSR subscribes to the following items that can help you as you write papers for English classes.

MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window The go-to resource for writers of research papers and anyone citing sources. MLA Handbook Plus includes the full text of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook as well as the first editions of both the MLA Guide to Digital Literacy and the MLA Guide to Undergraduate Research in Literature.
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window The definitive dictionary of the English Language. Provides timelines of when words entered the language, sources for words, and audio pronunciation guides. Coverage: 1989 Edition, with updates

Background Resources for Literature Research

Gale Literature This link opens in a new window Search across literary biography, literary criticism, genre studies, reviews, and primary sources across thousands of Gale publications. Good starting point for doing any kind of research in English literature. Coverage: varies
Literary Reference Center Plus This link opens in a new window Contains author biographies, literary criticism, journal articles and book reviews. Coverage: Details not available

Background Resources on History, Issues, Society, etc.

If you need background information on historical events, societal issues, or other topics covered in literature here are some sources that might help.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online This link opens in a new window Includes articles ranging from concise explanations to comprehensive expositions and from historical treatments of subjects to current-events coverage. Includes Britannica's Book of the Year and Nations of the World. Coverage: 1994-
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window Search across dozens of reference books in a wide variety of disciplines. Especially strong in literature and the humanities!
SAGE Reference This link opens in a new window Provides access to ebook versions of encyclopedias and handbooks in the social and behavioral sciences.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window Search across hundreds of subject encyclopedias and other referece works. A great place to find background information on almost any research topic. Includes subject trees, pro/con resources, links to scholarly articles and more.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window Search across hundreds of subject encyclopedias and other reference works. A great place to find background information on almost any research topic. Includes a topic finder for help with narrowing or broadening your research topic. Coverage: varies

Searching Primo for books and more

Use Primo - the library's search interface - to locate books and other materials all in a single search. Here are a few tips to get you started:

To find items on a theme or issue in an author's work, enter the name of the author/work and a term that best conveys the issue you are researching, e.g. Macbeth and feminis* (the asterisk is a truncation symbol that allows for word variants, such as feminist or feminism). Keep in mind that not every work of literature will have a lot of research on it - you may need to back up from your initial search to something more broad.
To find works about a literary author or other figure, enter the person's name in quotes, i.e. "Jane Austen" - adding in other terms will help narrow down your results - i.e. "Jane Austen" marriage or "Maya Angelou" "civil rights"
To find works around a particular genre, us that genre in your search i.e. poetry abolition or "short story" war

Journal Databases

Literary criticism databases.

MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window Contains articles, books, chapters of books, conference proceedings, dissertations, and working papers on topics relating to literature, modern languages, folklore, and linguistics. Coverage: 1926-
Humanities International Index This link opens in a new window Contains scholarly journals and other periodicals and magazines covering the humanities including art, classics, history, literature, philosophy and more. Coverage: 1975-
JSTOR This link opens in a new window A full-text database of archived issues of academic journals. Since JSTOR is a backfiles project, a typical coverage range is the beginning of a journal until three or five years ago. Supported in part by the Dail Endowment Fund. Coverage: Varies
Project MUSE This link opens in a new window Provides access to the full text of scholarly journals and books in the arts and humanities and social sciences. Coverage: Varies
ProQuest One Literature This link opens in a new window Provides content and tools to support the study of literature from a variety of sources including primary texts, criticism, full-text journals, book reviews, dissertations, eBooks, reference material, audio, and video. Coverage: varies

Other Databases Of Interest

America: History and Life This link opens in a new window Search for articles about the history and culure of the United States and Canada. Publications include peer-reviewed journals, magazines, dissertations, books, and more. Access is limited to six simultaneous users. Note: For world history topics, use the Historical Abstracts database. Coverage: 1964-
Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new window Provides indexing and abstracts for journal articles, books, and dissertations covering the history of the world from 1450-- except the U.S. and Canada. For similar coverage of the U.S. and Canada, use America History and Life. Access is limited to six simultaneous users. Coverage: 1954-
International Medieval Bibliography This link opens in a new window A bibliography of modern scholarship concerning the European Middle Ages (c. 450-1500). Coverage: 1967-
Contemporary Women's Issues (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window provides access to current full text and backfile content covering topics including civil rights, health, education, professional development, and entrepreneurship. Coverage: 1992-
Performing Arts Periodicals Database This link opens in a new window Performing Arts Periodicals Database indexes around 400 scholarly and trade journals, magazines, books, and newspapers covering theater, dance, film, television, stagecraft, broadcast arts, storytelling, and more. It draws from both current files and selected backfiles to 1864 and 134 publications are included in full text. Coverage: 1864-

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Home » What is Literature – Definition, Types, Examples

What is Literature – Definition, Types, Examples

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Definition:

Literature refers to written works of imaginative, artistic, or intellectual value, typically characterized by the use of language to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences. It encompasses various forms of written expression, such as novels, poems, plays, essays, short stories, and other literary works.

History of Literature

The history of literature spans thousands of years and includes works from many different cultures and languages. Here is a brief overview of some of the major periods and movements in the history of literature:

Ancient Literature (3000 BCE – 500 CE)

Ancient Mesopotamian Literature (3000 BCE – 2000 BCE): This period includes the earliest known writings, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian epic poem that explores themes of friendship, mortality, and the search for immortality.
Ancient Greek Literature (800 BCE – 200 BCE): This era produced works by legendary writers such as Homer, known for the Iliad and the Odyssey, and playwrights like Sophocles, Aeschylus, and Euripides, who wrote tragic plays exploring human nature and the conflicts between gods and mortals.
Ancient Roman Literature (200 BCE – 500 CE): Roman literature included works by poets like Virgil (known for the Aeneid) and historians like Livy and Tacitus, who chronicled the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

Medieval Literature (500 CE – 1500 CE)

Early Medieval Literature (500 CE – 1000 CE): During this period, literature was mainly religious and included works such as Beowulf, an Old English epic poem, and The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, an Italian epic poem that describes the journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
High Medieval Literature (1000 CE – 1300 CE): This era saw the emergence of troubadour poetry in Provence, France, which celebrated courtly love, as well as the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, such as The Canterbury Tales, which combined diverse stories and social commentary.
Late Medieval Literature (1300 CE – 1500 CE): Notable works from this period include Dante’s Divine Comedy, Petrarch’s sonnets, and the works of Christine de Pizan, an early feminist writer.

Renaissance Literature (14th – 17th centuries)

Italian Renaissance Literature (14th – 16th centuries): This period witnessed the flourishing of humanism and produced works by authors such as Francesco Petrarch and Giovanni Boccaccio, who emphasized the individual, the secular, and the revival of classical themes and styles.
English Renaissance Literature (16th – 17th centuries): This era saw the works of William Shakespeare, including his plays such as Hamlet and Macbeth, which explored complex human emotions and the human condition. Other notable writers include Christopher Marlowe and Edmund Spenser.

Enlightenment Literature (17th – 18th centuries)

This period marked a shift towards reason, rationality, and the questioning of established beliefs and systems. Influential writers during this time included René Descartes, John Locke, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Denis Diderot.

Romanticism (late 18th – mid-19th centuries)

Romantic literature emphasized individual emotion, imagination, and nature. Key figures include William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats.

Victorian Literature (19th century)

This era was characterized by the reign of Queen Victoria and featured writers such as Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Charlotte and Emily Brontë, and Oscar Wilde.

Modernist Literature (late 19th – early 20th centuries)

Modernist literature emerged as a response to the social, political, and technological changes of the time. It is characterized by experimentation with narrative structure, language, and perspective. Notable modernist writers include T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and Marcel Proust.

Postmodern Literature (mid-20th century – present)

Postmodern literature challenges traditional notions of narrative and reality. It often incorporates elements of metafiction, intertextuality, and fragmented narratives. Prominent postmodern authors include Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Salman Rushdie, and Margaret Atwood.

Contemporary Literature (late 20th century – present)

Contemporary literature encompasses a wide range of diverse voices and styles. It explores various themes and addresses contemporary issues, reflecting the cultural, social, and political contexts of the present time. Notable contemporary authors include Toni Morrison, J.K. Rowling, Haruki Murakami, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Zadie Smith.

Types of Literature

Types of Literature are as follows:

Short story

Graphic novel, electronic literature.

Poetry is a form of literature that uses language to convey emotions or ideas in a concise and often rhythmic manner. Poetry has been around for centuries, with many different cultures creating their own unique styles. While some people may view poetry as difficult to understand, there is often great beauty in its simplicity. Whether you are looking to read poems for enjoyment or to better analyze literary works, understanding the basics of poetry can be very helpful.

Examples of Poetry in Literature

There are countless examples of poetry in literature, ranging from ancient works to contemporary masterpieces. Here are just a few examples:

“ The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock ” by T.S. Eliot (1915): This modernist poem explores themes of alienation, identity, and the human condition.
“ Do not go gentle into that good night ” by Dylan Thomas (1951): This villanelle is a powerful meditation on death and the struggle for survival.
“ The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot (1922) : This epic poem is a complex and multi-layered exploration of the modern world and its spiritual emptiness.
“ The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe (1845) : This famous poem is a haunting and macabre exploration of grief, loss, and the supernatural.
“ Sonnet 18″ by William Shakespeare (1609) : This classic sonnet is a beautiful and romantic tribute to the beauty of the beloved.
“ Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats (1819) : This ode is a sublime exploration of the power of beauty and the transcendent experience of art.
“ The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1916) : This famous poem is a contemplative meditation on choices, regrets, and the uncertainties of life.

These are just a few examples of the many works of poetry that exist in literature. Poetry can explore a wide range of themes and emotions, using language and imagery to create powerful and moving works of art.

Prose is a type of written language that typically contains dialogue and narration. In literature, prose is the most common form of writing. Prose can be found in novels, short stories, plays, and essays.

Examples of Prose in Literature

“ The Essays” by Michel de Montaigne (1580) – This collection of prose is a seminal work of the French Renaissance and is credited with popularizing the use of personal reflections in prose literature. Montaigne’s writing style in these works is informal and conversational, and covers a vast range of topics including morality, philosophy, religion, and politics. The prose is notable for its intimacy and personal nature, as Montaigne often uses his own experiences and thoughts to illustrate his ideas.

A novel is a fictional book that is typically longer than 300 pages. It tells a story, usually in chronological order, and has characters and settings that are developed over the course of the story. Novels are often divided into chapters, which help to break up the story and make it easier to read.

Novels are one of the most popular genres of literature, and there are many different types of novels that you can read. Whether you’re looking for a romance novel, a mystery novel, or a historical fiction novel, there’s sure to be a book out there that you’ll love.

Examples of Novels in Literature

“Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes (1605) – This novel is considered one of the greatest works of Spanish literature and is a satirical take on chivalric romance. It follows the adventures of a delusional knight, Don Quixote, and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza.
“Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe (1719) – This novel is considered one of the earliest examples of the English novel and is a tale of survival and self-reliance. It follows the story of a man named Robinson Crusoe, who is stranded on a deserted island for 28 years.
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen (1813) – This novel is considered one of the greatest works of English literature and is a romantic comedy of manners. It follows the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her complicated relationship with Mr. Darcy, a wealthy landowner.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee (1960) – This novel is a classic of American literature and deals with issues of race, class, and justice in the American South during the 1930s. It follows the story of a young girl named Scout and her experiences with racism and prejudice.
“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) – This novel is considered a masterpiece of American literature and is a social commentary on the decadence and excess of the Roaring Twenties. It follows the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and mysterious man, and his obsession with a woman named Daisy Buchanan.

A novella is a work of fiction that is shorter than a novel but longer than a short story. The word “novella” comes from the Italian word for “new”, which is fitting because this type of story is often seen as being between the old and the new. In terms of length, a novella typically has about 20,000 to 40,000 words.

While novels are usually about one main plot with several subplots, novellas are usually focused on one central conflict. This conflict is usually resolved by the end of the story. However, because novellas are longer than short stories, there is more room to develop characters and explore themes in depth.

Examples of Novella in Literature

“Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad (1899) – This novella is a powerful and haunting portrayal of European imperialism in Africa. It follows the journey of a steamboat captain named Marlow, who is sent to find a man named Kurtz deep in the Congo.
“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway (1952) – This novella is a Pulitzer Prize-winning story of an aging Cuban fisherman named Santiago and his epic struggle to catch a giant marlin. It is a testament to the resilience and determination of the human spirit.
“The Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka (1915) – This novella is a surreal and disturbing tale of a man named Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. It explores themes of isolation, identity, and the human condition.
“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck (1937) – This novella is a tragic story of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, who dream of owning their own farm but are thwarted by their own limitations and the harsh realities of the Great Depression. It is a powerful commentary on the American Dream and the plight of the working class.
“Animal Farm” by George Orwell (1945) – This novella is a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. It follows the story of a group of farm animals who overthrow their human owner and create their own society, only to be corrupted by their own leaders. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of totalitarianism and propaganda.

A short story is a work of fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents.

The short story is one of the oldest forms of literature and has been found in oral cultures as well as in written form. In terms of length, it is much shorter than the novel, typically ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 words.

The short story has often been described as a “perfect form” because it allows for greater compression and variety than either the novel or poem. It also allows writers to experiment with different styles and genres.

Examples of Short Story in Literature

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe (1843) – This classic horror story is a chilling portrayal of a murderer who is haunted by the sound of his victim’s heartbeat. It is a masterful example of Poe’s psychological and suspenseful writing style.
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (1948) – This controversial short story is a commentary on the dark side of human nature and the dangers of blind adherence to tradition. It follows the annual tradition of a small town that holds a lottery, with a surprising and shocking ending.
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (1905) – This heartwarming story is a classic example of a holiday tale of selflessness and sacrifice. It follows the story of a young couple who each give up their most prized possession to buy a gift for the other.
“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway (1933) – This minimalist story is a reflection on the existential angst and loneliness of modern life. It takes place in a cafe late at night and explores the relationships between the patrons and the waiter.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) – This feminist short story is a powerful critique of the medical establishment and the treatment of women’s mental health. It follows the story of a woman who is confined to her bedroom and becomes obsessed with the yellow wallpaper on the walls.

A graphic novel is a book that tells a story through the use of illustrations and text. Graphic novels can be based on true stories, or they can be fictional. They are usually longer than traditional books, and they often have more complex plots.

Graphic novels first gained popularity in the 1970s, when publishers began releasing collections of comics that had been previously published in magazines. Since then, the genre has grown to include original works, as well as adaptations ofexisting stories.

Graphic novels are now widely respected as a form of literature, and they have been adapted into many different mediums, including movies, television shows, and stage plays.

Examples of Graphic Novels in Literature

“ Watchmen” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-1987) – This graphic novel is considered one of the greatest works of the medium and is a deconstruction of the superhero genre. It follows a group of retired superheroes who come out of retirement to investigate the murder of one of their own.
“ Maus” by Art Spiegelman (1980-1991) – This Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel is a harrowing and poignant account of a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust and his strained relationship with his son. The characters are depicted as animals, with the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats.
“ Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (2000-2003) – This autobiographical graphic novel is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. It follows the author’s experiences growing up in Iran and then moving to Europe as a teenager.
“Sandman” by Neil Gaiman (1989-1996) – This epic fantasy series is a masterful exploration of mythology, literature, and human nature. It follows the story of Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, as he navigates through the world of dreams and interacts with characters from across time and space.
“Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller (1986) – This influential graphic novel is a gritty and realistic portrayal of an aging Batman who comes out of retirement to fight crime in a dystopian future. It is credited with revolutionizing the Batman character and inspiring a new era of darker and more mature superhero stories.

Electronic literature, also known as e-literature, is a genre of writing that uses electronic media to create works of art. This type of literature often includes elements of interactivity, hypertextuality, and multimedia.

E-literature has its roots in early computer games and interactive fiction. These early works were created using simple text-based programming languages like BASIC and HTML. Today, e-literature has evolved into a complex form of art that incorporates multimedia elements such as audio and video.

Examples of Electronic Literature in Literature

“ Afternoon: A Story” by Michael Joyce (1987) – This hypertext fiction is considered one of the earliest examples of electronic literature. It is a nonlinear narrative that can be read in multiple paths and contains multimedia elements like images and sound.
“ Patchwork Girl” by Shelley Jackson (1995) – This hypertext novel is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” that uses digital media to explore the themes of identity, gender, and creation. It contains animated graphics, video, and sound.
“ The Dreamlife of Letters” by Brian Kim Stefans (2000) – This work of interactive poetry uses computer algorithms to generate new poems based on the user’s input. It combines traditional poetic forms with digital technologies to create a unique reading experience.
“ Flight Paths” by Kate Pullinger and Chris Joseph (2007) – This work of electronic literature is a collaborative multimedia project that explores the lives of immigrants and refugees. It combines text, video, and audio to create an immersive and interactive experience.
“Inanimate Alice” by Kate Pullinger and Chris Joseph (2005-2016) – This interactive digital novel follows the story of a young girl named Alice as she grows up in a world of technology and media. It uses a combination of text, video, animation, and sound to create a unique and engaging narrative.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction in literature is defined as prose writings that are based on real events, people, or places. Non-fiction is often divided into categories such as biography, history, and essay.

Examples of Non-fiction in Literature

“ The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin (1859) – This landmark book is one of the most influential works in the history of science. It lays out Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and provides evidence for the descent of all living things from a common ancestor.
“The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965) – This autobiography is a candid and powerful account of Malcolm X’s life as an African American civil rights leader. It explores his journey from a troubled youth to a powerful orator and activist, and provides insights into the social and political climate of the time.
“ The Feminine Mystique” by Betty Friedan (1963) – This groundbreaking book is a seminal work of feminist literature. It critiques the idea of the “happy housewife” and argues that women’s social roles and expectations are limiting and oppressive.
“The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander (2010) – This book is a powerful critique of the criminal justice system and its impact on communities of color. It argues that the system perpetuates racial inequality and provides a call to action for reform.

Drama is a genre of literature that tells a story through the use of dialogue and action. It often has a strong plot and characters who undergo change or development over the course of the story. Drama can be divided into several subgenres, such as tragedy, comedy, and farce.

Examples of Drama in Literature

“ Hamlet” by William Shakespeare (1603) – This tragedy is considered one of the greatest plays ever written. It tells the story of Prince Hamlet of Denmark and his quest for revenge against his uncle, who murdered his father and married his mother.
“ A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen (1879) – This play is a landmark work of modern drama. It explores themes of gender roles, marriage, and personal identity through the story of a married woman who decides to leave her husband and children in order to discover herself.
“ Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller (1949) – This play is a powerful critique of the American Dream and the pressures of modern society. It tells the story of a salesman named Willy Loman and his family, as they struggle to come to terms with the realities of their lives.
“ Fences” by August Wilson (1985) – This play is part of Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a series of ten plays that explore the African American experience in the 20th century. It tells the story of a former Negro League baseball player named Troy Maxson and his relationship with his family.

Also see Literature Review

Examples of Literature

Examples of Literature are as follows:

“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
“Normal People” by Sally Rooney
“Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
“The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
“The Ferryman” by Jez Butterworth
“The Inheritance” by Matthew Lopez
“Sweat” by Lynn Nottage
“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman (inaugural poem at the 2021 U.S. presidential inauguration)
“The Tradition” by Jericho Brown
“Homie” by Danez Smith
“The Carrying” by Ada Limón
“Call Me by Your Name” (2017) directed by Luca Guadagnino (based on the novel by André Aciman)
“The Great Gatsby” (2013) directed by Baz Luhrmann (based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001-2003) directed by Peter Jackson (based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien)
“The Handmaiden” (2016) directed by Park Chan-wook (based on the novel “Fingersmith” by Sarah Waters)
“Lemonade” (2016) by Beyoncé (visual album with accompanying poetry and prose)
“To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015) by Kendrick Lamar (rap album with dense lyrical storytelling)
“I See You” (2017) by The xx (album inspired by themes of love and connection)
“Carrie & Lowell” (2015) by Sufjan Stevens (folk album exploring personal and familial themes)
Blogs and online articles that discuss literary analysis, book reviews, and creative writing
Online literary magazines and journals publishing contemporary works of fiction, poetry, and essays
E-books and audiobooks available on platforms like Kindle, Audible, and Scribd
Social media platforms where writers share their works and engage with readers, such as Twitter and Instagram

Purpose of Literature

The purpose of literature is multifaceted and can vary depending on the author, genre, and intended audience. However, some common purposes of literature include:

Entertainment

Literature can provide enjoyment and pleasure to readers through engaging stories, complex characters, and beautiful language.

Literature can teach readers about different cultures, time periods, and perspectives, expanding their knowledge and understanding of the world.

Reflection and introspection

Literature can encourage readers to reflect on their own experiences and beliefs, prompting self-discovery and personal growth.

Social commentary

Literature can serve as a medium for social criticism, addressing issues such as inequality, injustice, and oppression.

Historical and cultural preservation

Literature can document and preserve the history, traditions, and values of different cultures and societies, providing insight into the past.

Aesthetic appreciation:

literature can be appreciated for its beauty and artistic value, inspiring readers with its language, imagery, and symbolism.

The Significance of Literature

Literature holds immense significance in various aspects of human life and society. It serves as a powerful tool for communication, expression, and exploration of ideas. Here are some of the key significances of literature:

Communication and Expression

Literature allows individuals to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and experiences across time and space. Through various literary forms such as novels, poems, plays, and essays, writers can convey their ideas and perspectives to readers, fostering understanding and empathy.

Cultural Reflection

Literature often reflects the values, beliefs, and experiences of a particular culture or society. It provides insights into different historical periods, social structures, and cultural practices, offering a glimpse into the diversity and richness of human experiences.

Knowledge and Education

Literature is a valuable source of knowledge, as it presents ideas, concepts, and information in an engaging and accessible manner. It introduces readers to different subjects, such as history, science, philosophy, psychology, and more, allowing them to expand their understanding and broaden their intellectual horizons.

Emotional and Intellectual Development

Literature has the power to evoke emotions and provoke critical thinking. By immersing oneself in literary works, readers can develop a deeper understanding of complex emotions, empathy for diverse perspectives, and the ability to think critically and analytically.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage

Literature acts as a repository of a society’s cultural heritage. It preserves the history, traditions, myths, and folklore of a particular community, ensuring that future generations can connect with their roots and learn from the experiences of the past.

Social Commentary and Critique

Literature often serves as a platform for social commentary and critique. Writers use their works to shed light on social issues, challenge societal norms, and promote positive change. By addressing controversial topics and presenting alternative viewpoints, literature can spark discussions and inspire activism.

Entertainment and Escapism

Literature offers a means of entertainment and escapism from the realities of everyday life. Engaging narratives, compelling characters, and vivid descriptions transport readers to different worlds, allowing them to experience joy, excitement, and adventure through the pages of a book.

Imagination and Creativity

Literature fuels the human imagination and nurtures creativity. It encourages readers to think beyond the boundaries of their own experiences, envision new possibilities, and explore alternative realities. Literature inspires writers to craft unique stories and ideas, contributing to the expansion of artistic expression.

Personal Growth and Self-Reflection

Reading literature can have a profound impact on personal growth and self-reflection. It provides opportunities for introspection, introspection, and self-discovery, as readers identify with characters, grapple with moral dilemmas, and contemplate the deeper meaning of life and existence.

The Enduring Impact of Literature

Literature has an enduring impact that transcends time and continues to influence individuals and societies long after it is written. Here are some ways in which literature leaves a lasting impression:

Cultural Legacy:

Literary works become part of a society’s cultural legacy. They shape and reflect the values, beliefs, and traditions of a particular era or community. Classic works of literature, such as Shakespeare’s plays or the novels of Jane Austen, continue to be studied, performed, and celebrated, preserving their impact across generations.

Influence on Other Art Forms:

Literature has a profound influence on other art forms, such as film, theater, music, and visual arts. Many famous literary works have been adapted into films or stage productions, reaching new audiences and extending their influence beyond the written word. Artists and musicians often draw inspiration from literary themes, characters, and narratives, further amplifying their impact.

Shaping Worldviews:

Literature has the power to shape and challenge worldviews. Through stories, ideas, and perspectives presented in literary works, readers are exposed to different cultures, experiences, and ideologies. This exposure fosters empathy, broadens perspectives, and encourages critical thinking, ultimately influencing how individuals perceive and understand the world around them.

Inspirational Source:

Literature serves as an inspirational source for individuals in various fields. Writers, artists, scientists, and thinkers often draw inspiration from the works of literary giants who have explored the depths of human emotions, grappled with existential questions, or challenged societal norms. Literature provides a wellspring of ideas and creativity that continues to fuel innovation and intellectual discourse.

Social and Political Change:

Literature has played a significant role in driving social and political change throughout history. Many literary works have addressed pressing social issues, advocated for human rights, and challenged oppressive systems. By shedding light on societal injustices and encouraging readers to question the status quo, literature has been instrumental in inspiring activism and fostering social progress.

Universal Themes and Human Experience:

Literature explores universal themes and the complexities of the human experience. Whether it’s love, loss, identity, or the pursuit of meaning, these themes resonate with readers across time and cultures. Literary works offer insights into the depths of human emotions, dilemmas, and aspirations, creating a shared understanding and connecting individuals across generations.

Intellectual and Personal Development:

Reading literature stimulates intellectual growth and personal development. It encourages critical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to empathize with diverse perspectives. Literary works challenge readers to reflect on their own lives, values, and beliefs, promoting self-discovery and personal growth.

Enduring Literary Characters:

Iconic literary characters have a lasting impact on popular culture and the collective imagination. Characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hamlet, or Elizabeth Bennet have become archetypes, influencing the portrayal of similar characters in other works and becoming a part of our cultural lexicon.

Preservation of History and Memory:

Literature plays a crucial role in preserving historical events, experiences, and cultural memories. Historical novels, memoirs, and eyewitness accounts provide valuable insights into past eras, allowing future generations to learn from and connect with the past.

About the author

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Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Literature reviews, what is a literature review, learning more about how to do a literature review.

Planning the Review
The Research Question
Choosing Where to Search
Organizing the Review
Writing the Review

A literature review is a review and synthesis of existing research on a topic or research question. A literature review is meant to analyze the scholarly literature, make connections across writings and identify strengths, weaknesses, trends, and missing conversations. A literature review should address different aspects of a topic as it relates to your research question. A literature review goes beyond a description or summary of the literature you have read.

Sage Research Methods Core Collection This link opens in a new window SAGE Research Methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process. SAGE Research Methods is the ultimate methods library with more than 1000 books, reference works, journal articles, and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online from any scholarly publisher. – Publisher

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Literature Reviews

What is a literature review?
Steps in the Literature Review Process
Define your research question
Determine inclusion and exclusion criteria
Choose databases and search
Review Results
Synthesize Results
Analyze Results
Librarian Support

What is a Literature Review?

A literature or narrative review is a comprehensive review and analysis of the published literature on a specific topic or research question. The literature that is reviewed contains: books, articles, academic articles, conference proceedings, association papers, and dissertations. It contains the most pertinent studies and points to important past and current research and practices. It provides background and context, and shows how your research will contribute to the field.

A literature review should:

Provide a comprehensive and updated review of the literature;
Explain why this review has taken place;
Articulate a position or hypothesis;
Acknowledge and account for conflicting and corroborating points of view

From S age Research Methods

Purpose of a Literature Review

A literature review can be written as an introduction to a study to:

Demonstrate how a study fills a gap in research
Compare a study with other research that's been done

Or it can be a separate work (a research article on its own) which:

Organizes or describes a topic
Describes variables within a particular issue/problem

Limitations of a Literature Review

Some of the limitations of a literature review are:

It's a snapshot in time. Unlike other reviews, this one has beginning, a middle and an end. There may be future developments that could make your work less relevant.
It may be too focused. Some niche studies may miss the bigger picture.
It can be difficult to be comprehensive. There is no way to make sure all the literature on a topic was considered.
It is easy to be biased if you stick to top tier journals. There may be other places where people are publishing exemplary research. Look to open access publications and conferences to reflect a more inclusive collection. Also, make sure to include opposing views (and not just supporting evidence).

Source: Grant, Maria J., and Andrew Booth. “A Typology of Reviews: An Analysis of 14 Review Types and Associated Methodologies.” Health Information & Libraries Journal, vol. 26, no. 2, June 2009, pp. 91–108. Wiley Online Library, doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x.

Meryl Brodsky : Communication and Information Studies

Hannah Chapman Tripp : Biology, Neuroscience

Carolyn Cunningham : Human Development & Family Sciences, Psychology, Sociology

Larayne Dallas : Engineering

Janelle Hedstrom : Special Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Ed Leadership & Policy

Susan Macicak : Linguistics

Imelda Vetter : Dell Medical School

For help in other subject areas, please see the guide to library specialists by subject .

Periodically, UT Libraries runs a workshop covering the basics and library support for literature reviews. While we try to offer these once per academic year, we find providing the recording to be helpful to community members who have missed the session. Following is the most recent recording of the workshop, Conducting a Literature Review. To view the recording, a UT login is required.

October 26, 2022 recording
Last Updated: Oct 26, 2022 2:49 PM
URL: https://guides.lib.utexas.edu/literaturereviews

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Literature Review

What is a Literature Review?
What is NOT a Literature Review?
Purposes of a Literature Review
Types of Literature Reviews
Literature Reviews vs. Systematic Reviews
Systematic vs. Meta-Analysis

Literature Review is a comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works.

Also, we can define a literature review as the collected body of scholarly works related to a topic:

Summarizes and analyzes previous research relevant to a topic
Includes scholarly books and articles published in academic journals
Can be an specific scholarly paper or a section in a research paper

The objective of a Literature Review is to find previous published scholarly works relevant to an specific topic

Help gather ideas or information
Keep up to date in current trends and findings
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A literature review is important because it:

Explains the background of research on a topic.
Demonstrates why a topic is significant to a subject area.
Helps focus your own research questions or problems
Discovers relationships between research studies/ideas.
Suggests unexplored ideas or populations
Identifies major themes, concepts, and researchers on a topic.
Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.
Identifies critical gaps, points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches.
Indicates potential directions for future research.

All content in this section is from Literature Review Research from Old Dominion University

Keep in mind the following, a literature review is NOT:

Not an essay

Not an annotated bibliography in which you summarize each article that you have reviewed. A literature review goes beyond basic summarizing to focus on the critical analysis of the reviewed works and their relationship to your research question.

Not a research paper where you select resources to support one side of an issue versus another. A lit review should explain and consider all sides of an argument in order to avoid bias, and areas of agreement and disagreement should be highlighted.

A literature review serves several purposes. For example, it

provides thorough knowledge of previous studies; introduces seminal works.
helps focus one’s own research topic.
identifies a conceptual framework for one’s own research questions or problems; indicates potential directions for future research.
suggests previously unused or underused methodologies, designs, quantitative and qualitative strategies.
identifies gaps in previous studies; identifies flawed methodologies and/or theoretical approaches; avoids replication of mistakes.
helps the researcher avoid repetition of earlier research.
suggests unexplored populations.
determines whether past studies agree or disagree; identifies controversy in the literature.
tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias.

As Kennedy (2007) notes*, it is important to think of knowledge in a given field as consisting of three layers. First, there are the primary studies that researchers conduct and publish. Second are the reviews of those studies that summarize and offer new interpretations built from and often extending beyond the original studies. Third, there are the perceptions, conclusions, opinion, and interpretations that are shared informally that become part of the lore of field. In composing a literature review, it is important to note that it is often this third layer of knowledge that is cited as "true" even though it often has only a loose relationship to the primary studies and secondary literature reviews.

Given this, while literature reviews are designed to provide an overview and synthesis of pertinent sources you have explored, there are several approaches to how they can be done, depending upon the type of analysis underpinning your study. Listed below are definitions of types of literature reviews:

Argumentative Review This form examines literature selectively in order to support or refute an argument, deeply imbedded assumption, or philosophical problem already established in the literature. The purpose is to develop a body of literature that establishes a contrarian viewpoint. Given the value-laden nature of some social science research [e.g., educational reform; immigration control], argumentative approaches to analyzing the literature can be a legitimate and important form of discourse. However, note that they can also introduce problems of bias when they are used to to make summary claims of the sort found in systematic reviews.

Integrative Review Considered a form of research that reviews, critiques, and synthesizes representative literature on a topic in an integrated way such that new frameworks and perspectives on the topic are generated. The body of literature includes all studies that address related or identical hypotheses. A well-done integrative review meets the same standards as primary research in regard to clarity, rigor, and replication.

Historical Review Few things rest in isolation from historical precedent. Historical reviews are focused on examining research throughout a period of time, often starting with the first time an issue, concept, theory, phenomena emerged in the literature, then tracing its evolution within the scholarship of a discipline. The purpose is to place research in a historical context to show familiarity with state-of-the-art developments and to identify the likely directions for future research.

Methodological Review A review does not always focus on what someone said [content], but how they said it [method of analysis]. This approach provides a framework of understanding at different levels (i.e. those of theory, substantive fields, research approaches and data collection and analysis techniques), enables researchers to draw on a wide variety of knowledge ranging from the conceptual level to practical documents for use in fieldwork in the areas of ontological and epistemological consideration, quantitative and qualitative integration, sampling, interviewing, data collection and data analysis, and helps highlight many ethical issues which we should be aware of and consider as we go through our study.

Systematic Review This form consists of an overview of existing evidence pertinent to a clearly formulated research question, which uses pre-specified and standardized methods to identify and critically appraise relevant research, and to collect, report, and analyse data from the studies that are included in the review. Typically it focuses on a very specific empirical question, often posed in a cause-and-effect form, such as "To what extent does A contribute to B?"

Theoretical Review The purpose of this form is to concretely examine the corpus of theory that has accumulated in regard to an issue, concept, theory, phenomena. The theoretical literature review help establish what theories already exist, the relationships between them, to what degree the existing theories have been investigated, and to develop new hypotheses to be tested. Often this form is used to help establish a lack of appropriate theories or reveal that current theories are inadequate for explaining new or emerging research problems. The unit of analysis can focus on a theoretical concept or a whole theory or framework.

* Kennedy, Mary M. "Defining a Literature." Educational Researcher 36 (April 2007): 139-147.

All content in this section is from The Literature Review created by Dr. Robert Larabee USC

Robinson, P. and Lowe, J. (2015), Literature reviews vs systematic reviews. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39: 103-103. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12393

What's in the name? The difference between a Systematic Review and a Literature Review, and why it matters . By Lynn Kysh from University of Southern California

Systematic review or meta-analysis?

A systematic review answers a defined research question by collecting and summarizing all empirical evidence that fits pre-specified eligibility criteria.

A meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of these studies.

Systematic reviews, just like other research articles, can be of varying quality. They are a significant piece of work (the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at York estimates that a team will take 9-24 months), and to be useful to other researchers and practitioners they should have:

clearly stated objectives with pre-defined eligibility criteria for studies
explicit, reproducible methodology
a systematic search that attempts to identify all studies
assessment of the validity of the findings of the included studies (e.g. risk of bias)
systematic presentation, and synthesis, of the characteristics and findings of the included studies

Not all systematic reviews contain meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis is the use of statistical methods to summarize the results of independent studies. By combining information from all relevant studies, meta-analysis can provide more precise estimates of the effects of health care than those derived from the individual studies included within a review. More information on meta-analyses can be found in Cochrane Handbook, Chapter 9 .

A meta-analysis goes beyond critique and integration and conducts secondary statistical analysis on the outcomes of similar studies. It is a systematic review that uses quantitative methods to synthesize and summarize the results.

An advantage of a meta-analysis is the ability to be completely objective in evaluating research findings. Not all topics, however, have sufficient research evidence to allow a meta-analysis to be conducted. In that case, an integrative review is an appropriate strategy.

Some of the content in this section is from Systematic reviews and meta-analyses: step by step guide created by Kate McAllister.

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"Resilience, passion and enthusiasm are key to starting a research career"

Diana Roig-Sanz (photo: UOC)

Diana Roig-Sanz has spent years studying how literatures and cultures circulate around the world, exploring everything from global dynamics to small-scale local realities, using tools and methods from the digital humanities and adopting a decolonial and gender perspective. Her main focus is on the circulation of translations, where she examines the role of cultural and translation mediators and policies. She is also interested in the increasing circulation of minority literatures and writers – many of them women – in the spirit of what is known as " bibliodiversity ".

Roig-Sanz coordinates the Global Literary Studies (GlobaLS) research group, which is affiliated to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and to the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute ( IN3 ) at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya ( UOC ). She stresses that "women played a role in developing the concept of modernity". Using an innovative approach combining machine learning, artificial intelligence and network analysis technologies, she has made it her mission to " challenge overly Eurocentric, patriarchal narratives that do little to include difference ". Indeed, she has done so with a European Research Council ( ERC ) Starting Grant project; its findings confirm that "it is unsustainable to continue to claim that modernity emerged exclusively from Francophone, Germanic and Anglo-American centres, relegating the wrongly labelled Ibero-American peripheries to the role of mere imitators." Her achievements have also seen her awarded an ICREA research professorship in Catalonia , a Ramón y Cajal contract and a Leonardo grant from the BBVA Foundation.

In 2023, Roig-Sanz was named a member of the Young Academy of Spain ( AJdE ). Modelled on the Global Young Academy, this initiative seeks to highlight outstanding Spanish researchers in all fields at an intermediate stage of their careers. The aim is to encourage them to carry out innovative, relevant research that addresses global challenges and to strengthen the role of science in society, especially among young people.

In your application to the Young Academy of Spain, as in your own research, you express an interest in taking a more comprehensive approach to science policy that benefits all fields. What proposals did you make to the Academy?

Given the greater number of researchers in other areas of knowledge (engineering, biomedical sciences, physics, nanotechnology, etc.), my application proposal underscored the need to include the humanities in our country's scientific debates and to give greater visibility and funding to research in this field, which can also benefit other neighbouring fields in the social sciences.

My application focused on three priorities: the promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity and the analysis of so far underrepresented literatures, cultures and mediators that inhabit this world beyond Anglo-European borders; the promotion of decolonial and gender perspectives applied to a global history of translation and literature; and the promotion of sustainable research, from the research topics themselves (eco-translation, literature and ecology, environmental humanities) to online collaboration and open access publishing, and a greater push from the scientific community to encourage girls and young women to pursue interdisciplinary work at the nexus of the humanities and technology.

What exactly is the Young Academy of Spain?

It was created to fill a gap in Spanish academia by recognizing the contributions of a group of relatively young researchers across all fields, without the constraints of a specific discipline, as is the case with institutions such as the Real Academia de la Lengua Española or the Academia de Historia. Other academies admit older, more veteran researchers, while the AJdE recognizes the work of the cohort between the ages of 37 and 45. In this way, it aims to shine a light on leading academics in our country who can serve as role models for young students, from secondary school to the early stages of doctoral studies, and to stimulate scientific interest in all areas of knowledge, including the social sciences and humanities, from an early age.

How does it benefit from being multidisciplinary?

One of the main benefits is that it can zoom out and pan across fields to examine issues that affect all disciplines and areas of knowledge. It can also facilitate interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary dialogue between academics, as we're a relatively small group of 50 members. This group is structured into smaller working groups (open science, women and science, scientific dissemination, and education and science), which bring together profiles from very different backgrounds, and benefit from the sum of complementary and enriching perspectives.

Three values that stand out in the AJdE are inclusion, parity and sustainability. To what extent has science embraced these values?

Despite recent efforts, these values remain aspirational, and there is still a long journey ahead. Over the past few decades, there has been a growing recognition of the need to address workplace diversity – in relation to gender, sexual orientation, and ethnic or religious multiculturalism. This has led universities to recruit, retain and appoint more women to positions requiring greater expertise and leadership, although not as quickly as we might like them to. However, there is still a severe shortage of researchers from racialized or minority communities. It's well known that women are highly underrepresented in leadership positions, with only a third of top management roles worldwide being held by them, according to the international consultancy firm Grant Thornton .

Is this bias also present in academia?

Gender bias remains pervasive in academia, placing women researchers at a disadvantage in terms of career advancement, funding opportunities and assessment. This is evident in the low number of female rectors in Spain and the persistent unconscious biases present throughout society. Women face lower salaries, lower qualifications, and a system of thinking and beliefs that still discriminates against us. In this sense, gender biases such as motherhood and sexism continue to affect our career progression and reinforce preconceived ideas, stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes.

“The scientific community has become more aware of the need to bridge the gap between science and society”

What does the AJdE hope to achieve in this area?

A working group on women and science has been set up, and efforts are being made to integrate a gender perspective into almost all of the Academy's activities. It also strives for inclusivity in terms of disciplinary and geographical diversity. The decision to hold the induction ceremony for new academics in Ciudad Real in 2023 underscores the importance of reflecting on the decentralization of higher education.

What are the biggest challenges in terms of sustainability?

For me, sustainability goes beyond the idea of promoting rail or land transport. It's also about how we publish our research. On the surface, open access appears to be a significant step towards sustainability, inclusivity, visibility, dissemination and reproducibility of knowledge. But the way it's implemented has important consequences – especially for authors, but also for readers. On this front, we're still facing two main issues: firstly, the growing power of a very small handful of publishing conglomerates that exert considerable control over scholarly publication, and benefit financially from the knowledge disseminated through open-access articles, books and book chapters; and secondly, the assessment criteria for researchers, which penalize publications that are not peer-reviewed or that are published directly in open repositories, bypassing the traditional publishing "system", which the institutions themselves still don't know how to assess. Moreover, projects dealing with data face the monumental challenge of preserving their research and ensuring that their results remain relevant in the short term amidst the rapid changes to which technology has accustomed us in recent years.

What are the current challenges facing young researchers?

In my opinion, the two main challenges are the lack of stability for researchers, and the scarcity of public and private funding. This situation is leading more and more people to abandon their research careers or to seek opportunities abroad due to limited prospects at home. Moreover, competition is increasing because the chances of securing a stable position are limited. Many people start academic careers, but very few of them actually get tenure, and this proportion only grows smaller as academics progress in their careers.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in research?

While I've been very fortunate to have optimal conditions for my research, I recognize that this isn't the norm. Many people who have not yet been able to secure a permanent position and are still in very precarious situations have decided to interrupt their careers and look for another path, or are burdened by such a heavy teaching load that they have no time left for research. In such cases, resilience is paramount for young researchers, along with passion and enthusiasm for their work, flexibility, and the necessary family and personal circumstances to move to another country if need be. It's also important for them to have a good understanding of the opportunities in each field and of the research that can attract more funding while fulfilling their own interests.

Why is it important to communicate science to society?

I believe that in recent years the scientific community has become more aware of the need to bridge the gap between science and society. The latest advances in artificial intelligence and the risks they pose; the impact of the recent pandemic, in which some of the decisions made by scientists and policymakers were called into question; the effects of climate change and their possible solutions; breakthroughs in cancer treatment; studies on fake news; geopolitical tensions, and the rise of populism may have created a sense among the scientific community, especially younger cohorts, that science needs to be explained more and in a better way. Scientific activity should be made more accessible to society, so that people can understand and cope with the changes it brings about and adopt a more critical attitude towards future challenges. In this respect, I believe that young researchers have a crucial role to play. Efforts should be made to amplify their voices and facilitate the dissemination of science that is, perhaps, more activist, more transformative and more willing to be within everyone's reach.

How is the AJdE able to influence government science policy?

The Academy often works with the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. During the pandemic, the Ministry asked it for reports on COVID-19 issues that AJdE scientists were working on at the time, so it's a tremendous source of talent that can provide extremely up-to-date insights into ongoing research across a wide range of disciplines. The Academy can also influence science policy at central and regional government level, and produce well-informed reports on issues of key concern to our community of scientists, such as professorial accreditation, open access to our output, funding needs or gender bias.

What will the next five years at the AJdE mean to you personally?

The ten academics who have most recently joined, myself included, have pledged to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before us and to help build a more mature Young Academy of Spain, so that through science it can realize its potential for transformation and for creating a fairer, more democratic, more inclusive and more tolerant society. Personally, I would like to contribute to raising the profile of the humanities in our country's debates and science policies, in addition to pursuing the priorities I mentioned before.

UOC R&I

The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health .

Over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups work in the UOC's seven faculties, its eLearning Research programme and its two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute ( IN3 ) and the eHealth Center ( eHC ).

The university also develops online learning innovations at its eLearning Innovation Center ( eLinC ), as well as UOC community entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer via the Hubbik platform.

Open knowledge and the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development serve as strategic pillars for the UOC's teaching, research and innovation. More information: research.uoc.edu .

Press contact

Rubén Permuy [email protected] 659 05 42 39

La investigadora Diana Roig-Sanz, nomenada professora de recerca ICREA

El big data redibuixarà la història cultural de la primera meitat del segle XX

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From bench to podium: Using literature to expand research skills

Part of being a good mentor for students is to give them experiences in which they can gain all of the practical skills needed for success that they wouldn't otherwise develop. In the L.-S. Fan Clean Energy Laboratory , undergraduate students work hard to build a wide range of laboratory and research skills, including the ability to review, extract, and present key information from research papers. To help students sharpen these skills, the Fan Lab recently provided its students with some significant research papers from the lab and asked them to create a poster presentation based on their understanding of the content. This exercise not only helped students better comprehend scientific research but also enabled them to practice communicating complex ideas in an accessible way.

Seven students participated in the Fan Lab Undergraduate Research Poster Competition, which took place on April 21 and was hosted by Dr. Liang-Shih Fan, who recently received the Mentor of the Next Generation Award from the College of Engineering, and his team, including Rushikesh Joshi , Shekhar Shinde , Ashin Sunny , Ishani Karki Kudva , Krutarth Pandit , Falguni Akulwar , and Danwyn Aranha .

Coal Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL) technology integrates efficient power production with a significant reduction in both carbon and sulfur dioxide emissions, improving upon traditional chemical looping technologies by using a special oxygen carrier particle to provide oxygen for coal combustion, as opposed to traditional coal reactions that use oxygen gas. This results in a lower cost, more efficient process. However, since SO 2 and H 2 S are both very strong greenhouse gases, it's important to understand where they appear in CDCL reactors in order to design the most efficient system maximizing their reduction. Luke provided an analysis of the flue gases of Coal Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL) reactors to see where the sulfur would appear in the process, and in what form. Ultimately this study will significantly improve our understanding of what environmental impacts CDCL reactors will have and what decisions need to be made to mitigate the appearance of sulfur in flue gases.

"The experience of presenting my poster was an incredibly rewarding way to show what I had learned over the previous year," Luke said. "I’ve worked with many great people and the experience of working at Dr. Fan's Clean Energy Lab has had a very positive impact on my education and my life."

Darien Kulchytsky from the Fan Lab explains his poster

Tying for First Runner-Up were Darien Kulchytsky and Andrew Lisowsky.

Darien Kultchystky 's poster showcased the successful testing of a groundbreaking methane-to-syngas process at a subpilot level. Syngas, a vital feedstock for numerous commodity chemicals, is traditionally produced through methods that can be costly and environmentally taxing. However, the innovative process developed at The Ohio State University, known as Chemical Looping Reforming, presents a more sustainable and economically viable alternative.

From literature to AI: UC grad shares career path to success

Humanities and storytelling lead to lucrative tech entrepreneurship.

Before Katie Trauth Taylor worked with international organizations like NASA, Boeing and Hershey, and before receiving accolades for her work in the generative AI space, she was in a much different industry: English and literature.

Taylor earned her master's in English and Comparative Literature in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences. She completed her educational journey at Purdue University with a doctorate degree in rhetoric and composition. After working as a graduate assistant at Purdue and UC, she became a research professor at Miami University.

It might seem from there that her career was set — perhaps a tenured professorship or a university administrative position. That might have been her path, but Taylor had her eyes set on different goals.

So how did Taylor transition from literature and composition to tech entrepreneurship? She enjoys sharing that part of her story.

A&S masters grad Katie Trauth Taylor, who has launched two businesses. Photo/Provided

“I love that question, and I think it's so important for everyone in the humanities to see that they have just as much entrepreneurial potential as any other person.”

Taylor founded Untold Content in 2015, jumping from academia to entrepreneurship. Untold Content is a business-to-business content strategy company that recognizes storytelling patterns and frameworks that will help innovative companies make their ideas clear, compelling and impactful to an audience.

She then took innovation to the next level in 2022 with the launch of Narratize, a generative-AI storytelling platform that transforms the ideas of scientific, technical and medical innovators into impactful and detailed content and stories quickly.

It's so important for everyone in the humanities to see that they have just as much entrepreneurial potential as any other person.

Katie Trauth Taylor Entrepreneur and A&S master's grad in English

English to entrepreneurship

With 10 years of successful partnerships with lucrative companies like AAA and Boeing, Taylor is just getting started. And yet, it took a while for her to get here.

“I think sometimes we feel stuck — like, ‘I have to follow a path because I made us a choice about what to major in or what to study.’

“But really, once you get out into the workforce, you see that everything is almost interdisciplinary and you can see and cut across those boundaries more seamlessly as long as you're a strong critical thinker, a great communicator and hungry to constantly learn.”

Taylor was just that person during college. As she matriculated through her institutions, she formed bonds and met many mentors along the way who pushed her towards starting her own business.

“I think wherever you want to grow in your professional life, you just have to ask those questions. Ask, ‘what do I need to learn to get there and find my mentors?’ And sometimes, mentors are thrust upon you in the most wonderful ways. And it surprises you,” said Taylor.

Along the way she continued her love for storytelling and sharing that passion. And yet, she felt that she could help scientists, tech moguls and medical professionals share their stories in more effective and impactful manners.

“I had a mentor somewhere along the way, who said ‘look me in the eyes. You know, you could just start a business, right?’”

And Taylor did just that with Untold Content while she was a research professor at Miami University. Untold Content kept growing and growing, so she made her decision and pursued her new passion fulltime, as the leader of the then up-and-coming narrative storytelling strategy company.

Making her mark in tech

“I never got a business degree, but here I am running my second company,” Taylor said.

The generative AI leader took herself into a new avenue of business and networking. However, she identified the potential of using generative AI to push the ideas of innovators in science, technology and medicine into impactful storytelling and long-form content. As such, she found what would be her company’s foothold in the tech industry.

“We came to generative AI as a way to solve a problem that we had already discovered, so we already knew the problem. The problem was, it is so challenging to communicate effectively within science, tech and medical industries, and there are so many roadblocks related to that,” said Taylor.

“I've always been in love with that problem. So, we were in this really intensive moment in my first company where we were trying to ask ‘how do we solve that problem at scale?’And so, we were designing tech platform for communicating internally and help people craft more clear and impactful messages.”

She received the perfect gem of knowledge pertaining to this issue during her time at UC from associate professor of English Laura Micciche — a lesson at the basis of her women-led companies.

UC for me was completely life-changing. The people I met were the most generous and thoughtful subject-matter experts that I have ever met, and they remain strong forces in my success today.

Katie Trauth Taylor A&S alum, tech entrepreneur

“Laura Micciche taught me about rhetoric and composition and the way that words hold power and how they structure society and public rhetoric the way they shape opinion,” Taylor said.

Taylor and her company never left their storytelling roots. Her team consists of data scientists, engineers and ‘narrative scientists,’ people who are science, tech and medical communicators with journalistic and marketing backgrounds.

“Narrative scientists see the way words make meaning. And that is essentially the design of the predictive models,” said Taylor. “That is the most exciting, possible moment to be able to bring those diverse skill sets together. That's where the magic happens with Gen AI. And that's where we see solutions that will actually be transformative.”

The teams at Narratize and Untold Content continue with these tenets in mind under Taylor’s leadership.

To the future

Narratize and Untold Content work to help a variety of stakeholders understand the ideas and insights of innovators around the world, from consumers to potential investors. However, given the recent surge in open AI, creatives like journalists and marketers are concerned.

AI software continues to evolve, and as technology advances, it is inevitable that jobs may be lost. And yet, Taylor has her own response to this question: ‘What happens to creatives as AI continues to get better?'

“It's the question everybody is asking. How do we keep pace with this rapid rise of technology? We set out really early on to ask how do we empower people? How do we do AI with good intent?”

One of the major pillars of both companies is to keep AI in the hands of creatives and to ensure AI is nothing but human-led.

“And that means that we design the user experience to pull insights from the person and to support the person in their workflow and embed the AI into those workflows so they can be more effective in their work and do that more efficiently.”

The focus is on teaching and empowering creatives with generative AI, and according to Taylor, the best path forward is through embracing AI and maintaining focus on amplifying storytelling. An emphasis on focus that she strengthened during her time at UC.

"UC for me was completely life-changing. The people I met were the most generous and thoughtful subject-matter experts that I have ever met," Taylor said, "and they remain strong forces for my success today."

Featured image at top: Graphic representation of artificial intelligence. Credit/Steve Johnson on Unsplash.

By Serigne Thiam

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Writers wanted

AI is infiltrating scientific literature day by day

A recent trend in academic writing has seen a surge in the use of specific, often 'flowery', adjectives.

Academic and scientific research thrives on originality. Every experiment, analysis, and conclusion builds upon a foundation of previous work.

This process ensures scientific knowledge advances steadily, with new discoveries shedding light on unanswered questions.

Researchers have long relied on precise language to convey complex ideas. Scientific writing prioritizes clarity and objectivity, with technical terms taking center stage. But a recent trend in academic writing has raised eyebrows – a surge in the use of specific, often ‘flowery’, adjectives.

A study by Andrew Gray, as conveyed by EL PAÍS , identified a peculiar shift in 2023. Gray analyzed a vast database of scientific studies published that year and discovered a significant increase in the use of certain adjectives.

Words like “meticulous,” “intricate,” and “commendable” saw their usage skyrocket by over 100% compared to previous years .

This dramatic rise in such descriptive language is particularly intriguing because it coincides with the widespread adoption of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT . These AI tools are known for their ability to generate human-quality text, often employing a rich vocabulary and even a touch of flair. While LLMs can be valuable research assistants, their use in scientific writing raises concerns about transparency , originality, and potential biases .

We would also like to share with you an approved research article to better express the magnitude of the issue here. The introduction part of an article titled “The three-dimensional porous mesh structure of Cu-based metal-organic-framework – aramid cellulose separator enhances the electrochemical performance of lithium metal anode batteries” published in March 2024 begins as follows:

“Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic:Lithium-metal batteries are promising candidates for high-energy-density rechargeable batteries due to their low electrode potentials and high theoretical capacities…” – Zhang Et al.

Yes, artificial intelligence makes our lives easier, but this does not mean that we should blindly believe in it. Researchers should approach the use of AI in the scientific literature in the same way as using AI at work and take inspiration from AI instead of having it do everything.

Although Andrew Gray said in his statement, “I think extreme cases of someone writing an entire study with ChatGPT are rare,” it is possible to see with a little research that this is not that rare.

The originality imperative in scientific research

Originality lies at the heart of scientific progress. Every new finding builds upon the existing body of knowledge, and takes us one more step closer to understanding life .

The importance of originality extends beyond simply avoiding plagiarism. Scientific progress hinges on the ability to challenge existing paradigms and propose novel explanations. If AI tools were to write entire research papers, there’s a risk of perpetuating existing biases or overlooking crucial questions. Science thrives on critical thinking and the ability to ask “ what if “.

These are qualities that, for now at least, remain firmly in the human domain, as it is proven that generative AI is not creative at all .

The need for transparency

The potential infiltration of AI into scientific writing underscores the need for transparency and robust peer review. Scientists have an ethical obligation to disclose any tools or methods used in their research, including the use of AI for writing assistance. This allows reviewers and readers to critically evaluate the work and assess its originality.

Furthermore, the scientific community should establish clear guidelines on the appropriate use of AI in research writing . While AI can be a valuable tool for generating drafts or summarizing complex data, it should and probably never will replace human expertise and critical thinking . Ultimately, the integrity of scientific research depends on researchers upholding the highest standards of transparency and originality.

As AI technology continues to develop, it’s crucial to have open discussions about its appropriate role in scientific endeavors. By fostering transparency and prioritizing originality, the scientific community can ensure that AI remains a tool for progress, not a shortcut that undermines the very foundation of scientific discovery .

Featured image credit : Freepik

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Research Methods
Literary research methods tend to differ from research methods in the hard sciences (such as physics and chemistry). Science research must present results that are reproducible, while literary research rarely does (though it must still present evidence for its claims). Literary research often deals with questions of meaning, social conventions ...
Literary Research
To do research well, you have to spend a lot of time thinking, reading, and writing about the topic; most would agree that it's easier if it doesn't bore you to death. So, consider these options: Explore further something from a class discussion. Explore something that made you think, feel, or react strongly as you were reading.
Literature Research Definition, Theories & Materials
Literary research is the process of finding information relating to an aspect of a piece of literature. For example, the setting or historical time period in which a novel is set could be ...
Literature and Literary Research
Literary biographies are a form of reference material, and give you lots of information about authors, with an emphasis on how their lives are related to their writing. Secondary Sources are also sometimes referred to as criticism. These are books and articles that scholars have written about a particular work of literature, movement, or author.
What Is Literature Research? (with pictures)
Literature research refers to the scholarly, critical study of literature, generally for analysis purposes. The process of literary review, critique, and analysis can be lengthy and challenging. It is necessary in literature research for the researcher to add his or her own ideas in addition to the primary and secondary sources she collects for ...
(PDF) The Nature and Scope of Literary Research
Method in Literary Studies") 1. Abstract. Drawing upon Hillway's three types of research, this paper seeks to take a look at the nature and. scope of literary research. It focuses on early ...
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Literary research can be thorny, so many professors have written how-to manuals to help students develop top-level work. However: while many principles are widely shared in the profession, know too that even "best practices" can be contestable and open to debate. For your own writing assignments, you should follow the advice and requests of ...
Basic Literature Research Guide: Doing Literary Research
Use Primo - the library's search interface - to locate books and other materials all in a single search. Here are a few tips to get you started: To find items on a theme or issue in an author's work, enter the name of the author/work and a term that best conveys the issue you are researching, e.g. Macbeth and feminis* (the asterisk is a truncation symbol that allows for word variants, such as ...
How to Write a Literature Review
What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic.
Literary Theory
Find literary theory in HOLLIS: search terms and strategies. Criticism: an official term for literary theory. But a simple search for "criticism" will also pick up material with subheadings such as "criticism and interpretation" or "history and criticism." The best way to access material that has the main subject heading "Criticism" is via a ...
Is There a Method/Methodology for Literary Research?
Training in research skills and techniques is a key element in the development of a research student. Keywords: literary research methods or methodologies, literary theories, research skills, oral ...
How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay
A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis, nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.
What is literature for? The role of transformative reading
For the Transformative Reading Program (henceforth, the TR Program), the purpose of literature lies in the experience itself; and this experience is transformative. According to TR, literary reading always implies both a text and a reader in a reciprocal experience at a particular time and place. In such a fluid exchange, both text and reader ...
What is Literature
Literature. Definition: Literature refers to written works of imaginative, artistic, or intellectual value, typically characterized by the use of language to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences. It encompasses various forms of written expression, such as novels, poems, plays, essays, short stories, and other literary works.
(Pdf) 'Applying' Theories in Literary Research
Method is the 'practical' ap plication of doing. something and methodology is the 'theoretical" and "ideological" application of these. methods. Hence, theories are understood as ...
Literature
literature, a body of written works. The name has traditionally been applied to those imaginative works of poetry and prose distinguished by the intentions of their authors and the perceived aesthetic excellence of their execution. Literature may be classified according to a variety of systems, including language, national origin, historical ...
Research Guides: Literature Reviews: What is a Literature Review?
A literature review is a review and synthesis of existing research on a topic or research question. A literature review is meant to analyze the scholarly literature, make connections across writings and identify strengths, weaknesses, trends, and missing conversations. A literature review should address different aspects of a topic as it ...
Literature review as a research methodology: An ...
This is why the literature review as a research method is more relevant than ever. Traditional literature reviews often lack thoroughness and rigor and are conducted ad hoc, rather than following a specific methodology. Therefore, questions can be raised about the quality and trustworthiness of these types of reviews.
PDF Literary Research
Mark Bauerlein is Professor of English at Emory University, where he has taught since 1989 save for a stint as Director, Office of Research and Analysis, at the National Endowment for the Arts (2003-05). His books include Literary Criticism: An Autopsy (1997), The Pragmatic Mind (1997), Negrophobia: A Race Riot in Atlanta, 1906 (2001), and ...
What is a literature review?
A literature or narrative review is a comprehensive review and analysis of the published literature on a specific topic or research question. The literature that is reviewed contains: books, articles, academic articles, conference proceedings, association papers, and dissertations. It contains the most pertinent studies and points to important ...
Literature Review Research
Literature Review is a comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works. Also, we can define a literature review as the ...
Research Guides: Write and Cite: Literature Review
Write and Cite. This guide offers information on writing resources, citation style guides, and academic writing expectations and best practices, as well as information on resources related to copyright, fair use, permissions, and open access. This page is not currently available due to visibility settings. Last Updated: Apr 26, 2024 9:51 AM.
Diana Roig-Sanz: "Resilience, passion and enthusiasm are key in research"
4/25/24 · Research. "Resilience, passion and enthusiasm are key to starting a research career". Diana Roig-Sanz (photo: UOC) Laura Rodríguez and Rubén Permuy. Diana Roig-Sanzhas spent years studyinghow literatures and cultures circulate around the world, exploring everything from global dynamics to small-scale local realities, using tools ...
From bench to podium: Using literature to expand research skills
In the L.-S. Fan Clean Energy Laboratory, undergraduate students work hard to build a wide range of laboratory and research skills, including the ability to review, extract, and present key information from research papers. To help students sharpen these skills, the Fan Lab recently provided its students with some significant research papers ...
Leveraging what students know to make sense of texts: What the research
This systematic literature review examined the research on prior knowledge and its activation to ascertain how these terms are defined, what specific techniques have been empirically investigated, and the conditions under which prior knowledge activation facilitated students' comprehension. Fifty-four articles met the inclusion criteria and revealed that the terms prior knowledge and prior ...
From literature to AI: UC grad shares career path to success
Taylor earned her master's in English and Comparative Literature in UC's College of Arts and Sciences. She completed her educational journey at Purdue University with a doctorate degree in rhetoric and composition. After working as a graduate assistant at Purdue and UC, she became a research professor at Miami University.
Innovation research in and on Africa: A literature analysis in 2015
Surprisingly, sustainability topics were notably absent. South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana featured prominently in the discussions. In conclusion, it is imperative to foster broader participation from African nations and scholars in innovation research and ensure a stronger African perspective in international publications.
AI Is Infiltrating Scientific Literature Day By Day
AI is infiltrating scientific literature day by day. Academic and scientific research thrives on originality. Every experiment, analysis, and conclusion builds upon a foundation of previous work. This process ensures scientific knowledge advances steadily, with new discoveries shedding light on unanswered questions.

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ENGL 30101 — Introduction to Literary Studies

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What is Literature – Definition, Types, Examples

History of Literature

Ancient Literature (3000 BCE – 500 CE)

Medieval Literature (500 CE – 1500 CE)

Renaissance Literature (14th – 17th centuries)

Enlightenment Literature (17th – 18th centuries)

Romanticism (late 18th – mid-19th centuries)

Victorian Literature (19th century)

Modernist Literature (late 19th – early 20th centuries)

Postmodern Literature (mid-20th century – present)

Contemporary Literature (late 20th century – present)

Types of Literature

Short story

Non-fiction

Examples of Literature

Purpose of Literature

Entertainment

Reflection and introspection

Social commentary

Historical and cultural preservation

Aesthetic appreciation:

The Significance of Literature

The Enduring Impact of Literature

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

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El big data redibuixarà la història cultural de la primera meitat del segle XX

From bench to podium: Using literature to expand research skills

From literature to AI: UC grad shares career path to success

English to entrepreneurship

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