This guide is for literature as defined from a "humanities context and includes belles-lettres, prose, verse, fiction, or nonfiction with a recognized artistic value." It is for the student in a literature course seeking literary works, biographical information on an author, or literary criticism. Get the basics on creating a literary analysis for a class assignment.
Source of literature definition: "Literature." The SAGE Glossary of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, edited by Larry E. Sullivan, Sage Publications, 1st edition, 2009. Credo Reference, https://libproxy.volstate.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/topic/literature?institutionId=3707. Accessed 28 Aug. 2019.
Additional Resources from Vol State
These guides may be of interest if you are writing an English essay, taking a speech class, or need help using one of the library's databases.
Each campus has a Learning Commons that provide academic support for students, including help with writing papers.
In addition, online help is available. Look for the links to Essay Review and Writing Support in the Academic Support support of your course page in eLearn.
Literary Analysis: resources
Are you required to write an analysis of a literary work? Do you need to compare two poems? Here are some resources from other schools, colleges, and universities on the process.
- Analyzing Novels & Short StoriesGuide from Texas A&M University Writing Center. Guides on analyzing poetry, and plays also available.
- Literary Analysis GuideExplains how to analyze a text and provides examples. Goshen College
- Literary Analysis Pathfinder (PV High School)Guide from a high school that takes you through the process of selecting a literary work, locating literary criticism, and citing sources. Ignore the links to resources and comments about assignments.
- Writing in Literature (from Purdue OWL)Resources to help you write about literature and poetry. Includes resources on literary terms, literary theory and schools of criticism, as well as resources on writing book reviews
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The purpose of this guide is to link Vol State to resources that may help them with their literature classes or other classes requiring research on a literary topic.
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