Pathfinder

Subject: AP English IV
Grade: Juniors & Seniors
Teacher: Ms. Jonelle Vickery

1. The purpose of this Pathfinder is:
To help student find reputable sources to use while researching the topic and theme related to their novels.

2. Recommended key words and search terms are:
author's name
book title
"literar* criti*"
"literar* criti*" + author or book title

3. Print Resources: Books
America in the 20th Century

America's Decades

Black Literary Criticism

Bright Books of Literature: American Novelists & Storytellers from Hemingway to Mailer

Contemporary Literary Criticism

Our American Century

4. A/V Materials:
"Introducing Great American Authors" (video)

5. Online Databases:
DISCUS ( http://www.scdiscus.org/ )

Biography Resource Center: http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC?ste=1&vrsn=149&locID=scschools&n=25

History Resource Center: http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HistRC/hits?l=1&s=1&r=d&locID=scschools&c=1&n=10

Literature Resources from Gale: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=scschools&authCount=1

6. Magazines & Journals:
Periodicals not available in the school library can be accessed on DISCUS under Literature Resources from Gale (see link above).

Booklist

Contemporary Literatary Criticism

Reference Guide to American Literature

Go to the "Advanced Search" option and enter your book title or author in the first blank and choose "keyword" or "Name of work" or "Person by or about". In the search box right below, choose "publication title" and enter the name of one of the publications mentioned above or another you are familiar with or leave that box empty to search all publications and types. Before hitting the "search" button, scroll down and note where you can choose the content of the article. You can choose "all" or one of the following: biographies, multimedia, reviews & news, literature criticism, primary sources & literary works, topic & work overviews.

7. Streamline SC:
For those reading The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, this 30 minute video on Discovery Education ( http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ ) may be helpful:

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=C635CEC5-286E-4EE0-99C5-3809681687CE&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

8. Online Educational Web Resources:
Websites for helping with citations:

http://easybib.com/

http://www.noodletools.com/

Website for biographical information:

http://www.biography.com/

9: Unique Materials:
Students should consider using their public library and/or an expert source. For example, if a student was looking at the influences of the jazz movement on the writing of "Go Tell it on the Moutain," they might consider interviewing a jazz musician.

Citation Information

If you are having trouble formatting your MLA citations, you can go to one of these free sites that will help you do it correctly:

http://easybib.com/

http://www.noodletools.com/

Author Biographical Information

For help finding biographical information about your author, you can look at the following titles in the school library:

Authors and Artists for Young Adults (Reference section)

Bright Book of Literature: American Novelists & Storytellers from Hemingway to Mailer

Contemporary Authors (Reference section)

Encyclopedia of World Biography (Reference section)

Or you can check out the following links:

"Biography Resource Center" on Discus ( http://www.scdiscus.org/ ):
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC?locID=scschools

http://www.biography.com/

Literary Criticism

For help finding literary critiques of your books, you can look at the following titles in the library's reference section:

Contemporary Literary Critcism

Black Literary Criticism

Or check out these links:

Literary Resources on Discus ( http://www.scdiscus.org/ ):
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=scschools&authCount=1

http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/

Historical Context

For information about the historical context of your books, look at some of the following titles in your library's reference section:

American in the 20th Century

America's Decades

Our American Century

Or check out the following links:
History Resource Center on Discus ( http://www.scdiscus.org/ ):

http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History?locID=scschools
(hint: you can do a simple or advanced search for your author or title or search under the "Chronology" tab.)