Researching for Extension English
Updated Term 4 2022
Researching in Year 12
How to search for academic articles
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How to read academic articles
You won't get much out of an academic article if you read it from beginning to end like a news article. Click the link for a graphic that explains the best way to read an academic article.
You won't get much out of an academic article if you read it from beginning to end like a news article. Click the link for a graphic that explains the best way to read an academic article.
Other places to search
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Links for places to find resources
Libraries
These links will take you straight to the page to join the library.
Sutherland Shire Libraries
State Library of NSW
National Library of Australia
If you are already a member of your local library, you can register that library card to access the State Library's e-resources.
The State Library has put together guides on researching for English. On their databases page, they also have a category for HSC English resources. The best databases for Extension English are EBSCO, Informit, JSTOR, Gale Literature Resource Centre and Proquest. (But you don't need to use all of them) We have instructions on how to use the State Library databases.
These links will take you straight to the page to join the library.
Sutherland Shire Libraries
State Library of NSW
National Library of Australia
If you are already a member of your local library, you can register that library card to access the State Library's e-resources.
The State Library has put together guides on researching for English. On their databases page, they also have a category for HSC English resources. The best databases for Extension English are EBSCO, Informit, JSTOR, Gale Literature Resource Centre and Proquest. (But you don't need to use all of them) We have instructions on how to use the State Library databases.
Open Access Journals
Be sure to use the options provided on each search page to refine your search so you can filter out irrelevant results.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) - Open Access (or OA) journals are academic journals that are available freely to all. It helps if you limit the full text language to English (unless you speak any of the other language options fluently!).
Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) - A way to search for peer-reviewed OA books that are available for download.
BASE - An academic search engine that can be used to find peer-reviewed OA articles. On the advanced search page, uncheck the 'non-open access' at the bottom right. If your results still contain a lot of non-OA sources, use the 'Access' drop-down menu under the 'Refine Search Result' list on the right and select open access.
CORE - Use the options on the left of the search results to refine your search.
Be sure to use the options provided on each search page to refine your search so you can filter out irrelevant results.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) - Open Access (or OA) journals are academic journals that are available freely to all. It helps if you limit the full text language to English (unless you speak any of the other language options fluently!).
Directory of Open Access Books (DOAB) - A way to search for peer-reviewed OA books that are available for download.
BASE - An academic search engine that can be used to find peer-reviewed OA articles. On the advanced search page, uncheck the 'non-open access' at the bottom right. If your results still contain a lot of non-OA sources, use the 'Access' drop-down menu under the 'Refine Search Result' list on the right and select open access.
CORE - Use the options on the left of the search results to refine your search.
Google's academic resources
Google Scholar - Add filetype:pdf OR filetype:html to the end of your search, and uncheck the patents and citations boxes on the left of the search results. If your search brings back a lot of books, add -book to your search and try again.
Google Books - Only sections of each book are available.
Google Scholar - Add filetype:pdf OR filetype:html to the end of your search, and uncheck the patents and citations boxes on the left of the search results. If your search brings back a lot of books, add -book to your search and try again.
Google Books - Only sections of each book are available.
If you are looking for a specific article:
1. Look in the State Library databases; use the advanced search page, search for the article title as a phrase and use the drop down menus to include the author's name and date of the article in your search. Start with JSTOR.
2. Use Google Scholar; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
3. Use Google; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
4. Email Miss Hewson. (No promises though, some articles just aren't available!)
1. Look in the State Library databases; use the advanced search page, search for the article title as a phrase and use the drop down menus to include the author's name and date of the article in your search. Start with JSTOR.
2. Use Google Scholar; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
3. Use Google; search for the article title as a phrase and add the author's name to the search box as well.
4. Email Miss Hewson. (No promises though, some articles just aren't available!)
Cultural Institutions
There are thousands of these, so you'll need to do your own searching. But if you find something really useful let us know and we'll add it here.
Discovering Literature - The British Library's online exploration of different eras of literature. See if there are any resources for the literature you're using. Sometimes it's easier to search the British Library using Google. Type your keywords followed by site:bl.uk
Trove - This is the National Library of Australia's search portal, where you can search the library catalogue as well as all their online collections. If you need historical sources from Australia this is an excellent resource.
Library of Congress digital collections - Digitised photos, newspapers, letters etc from the largest library in America.
Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature - Digitised versions of historical children's books.
British Museum digital collections - Scans and images of items in the museum's collection.
New York Public Library digital collections - Digitised prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, etc.
World Digital Library - Books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, journals, prints and photographs, sound recordings, and films from a range of cultures and countries throughout history and the present.
British Library online gallery - Online exhibitions and virtual books from the British Library collection.
There are thousands of these, so you'll need to do your own searching. But if you find something really useful let us know and we'll add it here.
Discovering Literature - The British Library's online exploration of different eras of literature. See if there are any resources for the literature you're using. Sometimes it's easier to search the British Library using Google. Type your keywords followed by site:bl.uk
Trove - This is the National Library of Australia's search portal, where you can search the library catalogue as well as all their online collections. If you need historical sources from Australia this is an excellent resource.
Library of Congress digital collections - Digitised photos, newspapers, letters etc from the largest library in America.
Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature - Digitised versions of historical children's books.
British Museum digital collections - Scans and images of items in the museum's collection.
New York Public Library digital collections - Digitised prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, etc.
World Digital Library - Books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, journals, prints and photographs, sound recordings, and films from a range of cultures and countries throughout history and the present.
British Library online gallery - Online exhibitions and virtual books from the British Library collection.
Digital Libraries and Repositories
There are lots of these on a huge range of topics, so you'll need to do your own searching. But if you find something really useful let us know and we'll add it here.
Project Gutenberg - A collection of freely available eBooks and audiobooks that are in the public domain.
Open Culture - Links to free online books, audiobooks, courses, music, movies and more. You can search for your area of interest.
Internet Archive eBooks and texts - A collection of freely available educational eBooks and textbooks.
Open Library - A global eLibrary you can join and borrow from.
TV News Archive - An archive of TV news, mostly from the US.
Live Music Archive - An archive of live music across a range of genres.
LibriVox Free Audiobooks - A collection of free audiobooks.
There are lots of these on a huge range of topics, so you'll need to do your own searching. But if you find something really useful let us know and we'll add it here.
Project Gutenberg - A collection of freely available eBooks and audiobooks that are in the public domain.
Open Culture - Links to free online books, audiobooks, courses, music, movies and more. You can search for your area of interest.
Internet Archive eBooks and texts - A collection of freely available educational eBooks and textbooks.
Open Library - A global eLibrary you can join and borrow from.
TV News Archive - An archive of TV news, mostly from the US.
Live Music Archive - An archive of live music across a range of genres.
LibriVox Free Audiobooks - A collection of free audiobooks.
Other websites
Introduction to Modern Literary Theory
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Renascence Editions - An online repository of works published in English between the years 1477 and 1799.
The Internet Classics Archive - Digital versions of ancient classical literature. Mainly Greco-Roman, some Chinese and Persian.
Encyclopedia Mythica - Information on mythology, folklore and religion.
Introduction to Modern Literary Theory
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Renascence Editions - An online repository of works published in English between the years 1477 and 1799.
The Internet Classics Archive - Digital versions of ancient classical literature. Mainly Greco-Roman, some Chinese and Persian.
Encyclopedia Mythica - Information on mythology, folklore and religion.
Researching form
- Read widely
- Look through the Young Writers Showcases in the Learning Commons
- Read high quality and literary periodicals such as (this is a starting point, not an exhaustive list):
You can get short, reasonably cheap, subscriptions for most of these. Be aware that the price may be in USD. Your local library may also have a subscription for the hard copies.
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- Read widely within your chosen form and consider these things as you read:
- Why did it attract you?
- Is this particular form suited to your purpose or audience more than other forms?
- How does your chosen form impact your audience?
- Understand the conventions of your form
- This page gives advice for researching a specific type of form (short story), but the advice applies to other forms as well- Researching Form - Short Stories
Referencing
Remember to write down the bibliographic details of sources as you use them to save you having to go back and find them later when you're doing your bibliography.
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