ENG 115 - Research for English Majors

This course introduces English majors to the organization, retrieval and evaluation of electronic and print information in their field. Students will understand the evolving nature of information in the digital age. Emphasis will be on developing viable research questions, using academic library systems effectively, evaluating traditional and emerging scholarly resources in a variety of formats, and using the information in an ethical manner by citing resources according to current MLA standards. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to: Distinguish between literary criticism; book, film and theater reviews; and biographical articles. Identify critical approaches to literature, such as feminist, Marxist, reader-response, psychoanalytical, etc. Identify major journal databases and aggregate databases in their field (includes e-books and e-ref books) such as JSTOR and the Gale Literature Resource Center. Use advanced features of databases, such as Boolean searching, limiters, etc. Become familiar with features of online book catalogs at Delaware County Community College Library and other academic and public libraries. Evaluate literacy criticism in books and essays. Use reference book/e-books, handbooks and Internet to retrieve cultural, historical and background information on authors, literary movements, timelines and literary theories. Evaluate the role of “free” Internet web sites in the field of English and related areas of study, such as grammar sites, ready reference sites, citation generators, Google Books, Google Scholar, Open Source Movement. Demonstrate knowledge of MLA citation standards for a variety of resources. Be aware of software and user services relevant to their field, such as subscription citation generators (endnote, refworks), turnitin, and smarthinking Co-req: ENG 112