IST 605: J.R.R. Tolkien and his works

Search Strategies

Searching an academic database is a little different from searching Google. Some steps and strategies that you can take to improve your outcomes are:

• Use Boolean search with keywords by selecting or entering what is called an operator (such as AND, OR, NOT) to modify your keywords or phrases.
• Utilize the refine results option, don't just keep running a new search, this way you can reduce the number of results returned.
• Try a different database. If the information you are getting isn't returning the kind of results you are expecting try a different database.
• Use at least two or three search terms. By using more search terms to narrow your search, you can locate documents that fit your information needs better. You may need to use Boolean search operators to improve your outcomes. 

JSTOR

JSTOR provides access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources in 75 disciplines. This database is only accessible via your university, school or public library. Some of the key disciplines that make this a optimal database for search about Tolkien related articles is its focus on Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences.

JSTOR. (n.d.). What's in JSTOR. JSTOR. https://about.jstor.org/whats-in-jstor/

Gale Literature Resource Center

The Gale Literature Resource Center is as they state, "Gale Literature Resource Center is Gale’s most current, comprehensive, and reliable online literature resource, offering the broadest and most representative range of authors and their works, including a deep collection of full-text critical and literary analysis for literary studies.". As one of the most popular, and influential authors this is a great place to start to explore more information about J.R.R. Tolkien.

Gale. (n.d.). Gale literature resource center. Part of Cengage Group. https://www.gale.com/c/literature-resource-center

Worldcat

Worldcat is a great resource for finding information about books and if you can get them at a library near you. This can be used to search texts which refer to Tolkien and contain information that will help deeper your knowledge of Tolkien, his writing, his influences, and the thoughts behind his works. Worldcat states that "It’s a quick way to introduce yourself to the basics of searching the world’s largest collection of information about materials in libraries."

OCLC. (n.d.) WorldCat. OCLC. ​​​https://search.worldcat.org/

Some of the more informative links for information pertaining to Tolkien are:

(Link list courtesy of the Tolkien Society)

Tolkien Gateway – the world’s largest Tolkien encyclopaedia

The Mythgard Institute – Online Tolkien and Tolkien-related courses taught by some of the leading Tolkien scholars

The Tolkien Professor – a series of Tolkien podcasts by the Tolkien Professor, Corey Olsen

John Garth – news and articles from the author of Tolkien and the Great War, with access to his blog

Dimitra Fimi – news and blog from the author of Tolkien, Race and Cultural History

The Lord of the Rings Project – a genealogy of characters in Tolkien’s mythology, along with many innovative ways of analysing the books

Tolkien Brasil – a Portuguese website for Tolkien fans in Brasil

The Encyclopedia of Arda – a large Tolkien encyclopaedia put together by Mark Fisher

The Tolkien Music List – a discography of musical works inspired by Tolkien’s fictional writing

Tolkien Computer Games – a comprehensive list of Tolkien-related computer games prior to 2002.

Sarehole Mill – the website of the Birmingham Mill that inspired Tolkien in his youth.

Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy – a project based at the University of Chichester

The Story Museum – a museum in Oxford which celebrates all forms of stories

Waymeet – a online journal with resources to help teachers when teaching classes about Tolkien

Links (n.d.). The Tolkien Society. https://www.tolkiensociety.org/links/