Literary Research and Irish Literature: Strategies & Sources explores primary and secondary research resources relevant to the study of Irish literary authors, works, genres, and history. Sources covered include general literary research guides; union library catalogs; print and online bibliographies; manuscripts and archives; microfilm and digitization projects; scholarly journals; periodicals, newspapers, and reviews; and electronic and Web resources. To ease comparison and evaluation of references, each chapter addresses how to choose and utilize research methods and tools to yield the most relevant information. This guide also examines the strengths and weaknesses of core and specialized electronic and print research tools and standard search techniques and—when appropriate—covers the historical and cultural contexts and usability issues of unique reference sources. This volume, number 5 in the series, raises trenchant issues in Irish literary scholarship, such as the problem of defining what Irish literature is; gaps in criticism and secondary literature devoted to Irish literature; neglected areas of scholarly inquiry, including Irish literature by women and lesser-known writers; and the rewards of interdisciplinary research. It concludes with a brief consideration of a scenario illustrating how a scholar might use strategies and sources covered in the text to solve a research problem.

"Invaluable guide.... Especially useful are the recommendations for locating online sources.... This outstanding book offers much sensible advice and provides source material that will guide both students and professionals in the finding and intelligent selection of material from the overwhelming plethora of information available in this modern age." - American Reference Books Annual

"Literary Research and Irish Literature: Strategies and Sources is an indispensable addition for any humanities library catering for Irish literary studies. It is an invaluable and comparatively inexpensive aid for undergraduate students and a useful checklist for the more advanced researcher." - s