English Multicultural Research Project: Author information
Researching an Author
When you research the author of your book, you may first want to take note of what information you are required to have, and what information you may like to have in addition to that. Starting with these questions in mind before getting into the resources will help you identify which sources and which pieces of information are more valuable.
Remember, as you gather information from the sources below, to gather and keep citation information for anything you plan you use.
Biographical sources
These sources focus on the history of the person. While they will undoubtedly make mention of the literary works they published, the information from these sources will will be on their personal experience.
- Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window
Search for individuals based on any combination of occupation, activity, gender, place of origin, birthday and lifespan. Limit by source type, and searchable indexes can be used to browse by biography name, document type, geographic terms and more. Original content supplemented with new biographies and updated versions of preexisting articles.
- Biography: Gale in Context This link opens in a new window
Includes authoritative reference information alongside magazine and journal articles, primary sources, videos, audio podcasts, and images. Covering a vast array of people from historically significant figures to present-day news-makers. Search or browse to find people based on occupation, role, or historical period, or search based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender.
- Twayne's Authors Online This link opens in a new window
Provides in-depth introductions to the lives and works of major writers of the world in the context of the time period in which they lived, as well as on the history and influence of literary movements.
Literature sources
This group of sources includes both biographical information and short descriptions of the literary works of prominent authors.
- Contemporary Authors: Gale in Context This link opens in a new window
Biographical and critical surveys of twentieth-century and current authors, both literary and general nonfiction. Provides access to current biographical and bibliographical data on thousands of modern authors. You can easily search for an author by name, title of work, subject/genre, nationality, date and place of birth, honors, awards and much more.
- Gale Contextual Encyclopedia of American LiteratureComprehensive new set that places American authors and their principal works in historical and cultural context.
- Oxford Encyclopedia of American LiteratureExcellent coverage of authors, literary works, topics, and themes.