LibGuides: SSST (School-supported self-taught Language A): Your SSST journal

Double-entry (reader response) journal

Keeping a double-entry journal will help your study of your Language A: literature course in the following ways. You will

pay close attention to detail in the text
have a well-documented list of textual quotations that can help your recall during exams and can help with the written work required for the course
recognize patterns in the next
develop close and critical reading skills.

You can find further explanation and a template to use here. Make a copy, rename it and make it your own. Alternatively, you can use a notebook to document your double-entry journal.

Link to further details and a template for the double-entry journal.

Literary theory & criticism

Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism (OWL Purdue)
"A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The different lenses also allow critics to focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important."

Researching the author and historical background

Bloom's Literature
Bloom's Literature provides overviews, synopses, analyses, and literary criticism of thousands of works.Bloom's Literature includes critical essays from Facts On File's extensive collection, Harold Bloom's acclaimed essays, and criticism from the Bloom's imprint.
Credo Reference
Credo Source provides subject-specific encyclopedia entries on authors, texts, literary movements, geographical regions, historical events and more, You have direct access from school but you need to log in when you are at home. Check the ISU Library "Home" page for the login details.
Log-in details can be found on the ISU Library "Home" tab as well as in the library. Ask us if you're not sure.
World Book Online
World Book Online will have some background information relevant to many of the works you will study for this course. For login details, see the database posters or go to the ISU Library "Home" page.

Links and passwords for all subscription databases
This links to the Google Doc which contains all of the links and passwords for our subscription databases including those listed above.