Literary Research and Irish Literature Strategies and Sources

"Literary Research and Irish Literature: Strategies and Sources explores primary and secondary research resources relevant to the study of Irish literature - authors, works, genres, and history. Sources covered include general literary research guides; union library catalogs; print and online bibliographies; manuscripts and archives; microfilm and digitization projects; scholarly journals; periodicals, newspapers, and reviews; and electronic and Web resources." "To allow for the comparison and evaluation of resources, each chapter addresses how to choose and apply research methods and tools to yield the most relevant information. The book examines the strengths and weaknesses of core and specialized electronic and print research tools, as well as standard search techniques. When appropriate, it also covers the historical and cultural contexts and usability issues of unique reference sources. This volume, number five in the series, raises pertinent issues in Irish literary scholarship, such as the problem of defining Irish literature; gaps in criticism and secondary literature devoted to Irish literature; neglected areas of scholarly inquiry, including Irish literature by women and lesser-known writers; and the rewards of interdisciplinary research. It concludes with a scenario illustrating how a scholar might use strategies and sources covered in the text to solve a research problem."--BOOK JACKET.

J. Greg Matthews is a cataloging librarian at the Washington State University Libraries.