Researching an Author's

Life & Career

• Biographical Information
  • Reference
  • Full-length Biographies
• Journal Articles About the Author
• Citing Your Sources

Biographical Information

Reference

American National Biography
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on "Articles Via Databases"

Access biographies of thousands of Americans (deceased only) who had an impact on our history, lives, and culture.

Magill OnLiterature Plus
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on "Articles Via Databases"

Search the contents of various literature reference books, including the Cyclopedia of World Authors.

Literature Resource Center
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on "Articles Via Databases"

Literature Resource Center can be used to find biographical information from well-known literature reference books, such as The Dictionary of Literary Biography and Contemporary Authors.  It can also be used to find critical works (see below) Help on searching this database is available.

World Authors    Birnbaum Ref PN451.W3

Multiple volumes cover major authors from 1900 to 1995.

Specific Categories

In addition to the general works listed above, you might find your author profiled in a reference book with a more specific scope.  Examples include:

African American Authors, 1745-1945: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook    Birnbaum Ref PS153.N5A32 2000

Profiles 78 authors.

 

American Diversity, American Identity    Birnbaum Ref PS169.N35 A44 1995

Profiles 145 authors who "define the American experience."

American Ethnic Writers  Birnbaum Ref PS153 .M56A414 2000

Profiles 136 American poets, playwrights, novelists, short story writers, autobiographers and non-fiction writers of African, Asian, Jewish and Native American descent.

Asian American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook   Birnbaum Ref PS153 .A84A825 2000

Covers over 70 writers.

 

British Writers    Birnbaum Ref PR85 .B688 (vols. 1-4)

Covers major British authors from Langland to Browning.

Contemporary African American novelist: a Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook    Birnbaum Ref PS374.N4 C658 1999

Profiles 79 authors, including relative newcomers Terry McMillan and Walter Mosely.

Modern American Women Writers  Birnbaum Ref PS151 .M54 1991

Contains 41 critical and biographical essays on women writers from 1870 - 1991.

Latin American Writers    Birnbaum Ref PQ7081.A1 L37 1989 (vols. 1-3)

Includes lengthy articles with bibliographies.

Top of Page

Full-length Biographies

Search the online Pace Library Catalog to find full-length biographies, authobiographies, memoirs, and other personal information about your author. 

Enter the author's name as a Subject search. Subject headings follow a specific format. Personal names are entered last name first, as follows:

• Chaucer, Geoffrey
• Shakespeare, William
• Woolf, Virginia
• Orwell, George

There are exceptions to this rule:

• Sophocles
• Marcus Aurelius Emperor of Rome
• Thomas Aquinas Saint

For additional tips on searching the catalog, see the library's guide to Using the Pace Library Catalog.

Top of Page

Finding Journal Articles

To find journal articles on your topic use one of the library's periodical databases.  Try using the words biography or career in your keyword search.

To access Pace Library databases, go to the library home page (http://library.pace.edu), click on Articles via Databases. Use the menu labeled "Complete Database Listing" to select one of the databases recommended below:

Academic Search Premier
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on databases

This large multi-disciplinary database provides full-text articles for almost 4,650 periodicals, including full text for more than 3,600 peer-reviewed journals.  Help on searching this database is available.

JSTOR
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on databases

100% Scholarly and 100% full-text, JSTOR contains issues of scholarly journals going back to the 19th century.  For a list of journals included in JSTOR, visit our E-journal List.

MLA Bibliography
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on databases

Modern Language Association International Bibliography for literature in modern languages. Indexes articles from 1963 to the present. Help on searching this database is available.

OmniFile Full Text Select

Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on databases

OmniFile is a multidisciplinary, 100% full-text database.

 

Research Library
Access: http://library.pace.edu; click on databases

This multidisciplinary database allows you to search for articles in more than 3,700 periodicals —over 2,500 in full text—from 1972 forward. It covers scholarly journals, trade publications, magazines, and newspapers. Help on searching this database is available.

Top of Page

Citing Your Sources

Once you have finished your research, you will need to cite your sources using MLA citation format.  For information on MLA format, consult The Bedford Handbook (Birnbaum Ref. Reserve PE1408 .H277) the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Birnbaum Ref. Reserve LB2369 .G53 2003) or Bedford St. Martin's Research and Documentation Online (http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/)

Additional information on citation format is available on the Pace Library home page (see How to Cite Resources).

Still Need Help? Ask a Librarian!

Subject Research Guides | Research Help | Library Home