LibGuides: Literature: Articles & Literary Criticisms

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Journal Articles and Literary Criticisms

What is a literary criticism?

Literary criticisms are interpretations or analysis that other authors have written on a literary work (e.g., short stories, novels). Take note that it's often easier to find articles on more popular authors and literary works.

Start with the following literature databases to find literary criticisms:

Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
(Gale) Provides access to literary criticism, biographical information, interviews and reviews on more than 140,000 authors and their works.
Details and Terms of Use
Short Story Criticism (via Gale Literature Criticism) This link opens in a new window
(Gale) Online access to the print version of Gale's Short Story Criticism series, offering analysis of short stories and other works of short fiction.
Details and Terms of Use
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
(ITHAKA) Provides access to a multidisciplinary collection of over 4000 journals in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

- JSTOR does not include current issues of journals (2 to 11 year gap depending on the title).
Details and Terms of Use

Search Tips

Begin your search with the title of the literary work
Click on Full-text and select Literary Criticism under Document Type
Not finding articles on a short story? Try searching for the book where the short story can be found
We're here to help! Visit the library service desk or book a research appointment to get help starting your research

Articles About Topics and Current Issues

If you're conducting research on topics and current issues, search your topic on Library Search, or try searching your topic in the following databases.

Topic Overview & Background Research

Canadian Points of View This link opens in a new window (EBSCO) Provides access to essays with differing points of view on current issues. Essays include an overview, arguments, counter arguments and a guide to Critical Thinking.
Details and Terms of Use
Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window (Gale) Provides access to a comprehensive resource offering differing points of view on current social issues with pro and con articles, topic overviews and biographies of social activists.
Details and Terms of Use

News & Magazine Articles

Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window (Gale) Provides access to a large multidisciplinary collection of more than 9600 magazines, journals, newspapers, podcasts and transcripts (NPR, CNN, CBC).
Details and Terms of Use
Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window (EBSCO) Provides access to a large multidisciplinary database of more than 3900 magazines, journals, newspapers and trade publications.
Details and Terms of Use
Canadian Business & Current Affairs Database This link opens in a new window (ProQuest) Part of ProQuest Central. Provides access to a broad range of Canadian magazines, newspapers, and journals.
Details and Terms of Use
CPI.Q. (Canadian Periodical Index) This link opens in a new window (Gale) Provides access to a comprehensive list of Canadian and international journals, magazines, biographies, and other reference sources. Includes selected Globe and Mail coverage.
Details and Terms of Use

Journal Articles

EBSCO eBook Collection This link opens in a new window (EBSCO) Provides access to a large collection of e-books in art, business, computer science, education, history, literature, health and medicine, law, and the humanities and social sciences. - Titles may be single-user or multiple-user. Check the information in the "Concurrent User Level" field of each record. NOTE: In February 2024, audiobooks formerly on this platform were moved to a different database Boundless Audiobooks from Baker & Taylor.
Users must set up their own "My EBSCOhost" account (free of charge) and also have Adobe Digital Editions (free download) and a personal Adobe account in order to check out e-book titles for extended use. Many titles in this collection are one-copy/one-user-at-a-time titles that may be "signed out" for up to 7 days. Users may place a request for titles that are currently checked out by other users.
Details and Terms of Use
JSTOR This link opens in a new window (ITHAKA) Provides access to a multidisciplinary collection of over 4000 journals in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. - JSTOR does not include current issues of journals (2 to 11 year gap depending on the title).
Details and Terms of Use
SAGE Journals This link opens in a new window (SAGE Publications) A collection of full-text online scholarly journals in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. - Before running a search, check "Only content I have full access to" to retrieve only the content to which Seneca subscribes.
Details and Terms of Use
Taylor & Francis Online This link opens in a new window (Taylor and Francis) Access to three large collections from T&F: Social Science and Humanities Library, with over 1470 journals, Science and Technology Library, with over 530, and Medical Library, with over 200 titles. - After running a search, click "Only show content I have full access to" to retrieve only the content to which Seneca subscribes.
Details and Terms of Use
Wiley Online Library Journals This link opens in a new window (Wiley) Full-text journals in the humanities, social sciences, and the pure and applied sciences. - In this database, there is no way to limit a search to our subscribed content only. Only those results with the words "Full Access", "Open access", or "Free Access" are content to which we have access.
"Request Permission" links within search results are not applicable to Canadian institutions. For information on permitted use, please see the Licensing Terms here -- Details and Terms of Use -- or contact copyright@senecacollege.ca