Subject Research Guides
German Language and Literature
Note: To search this page for resources that are in the Russian Language, use the Find function in your web browser (Control+F on a PC, Apple+F on a Mac) and search for German Language Resource.
In This Guide:
- Key Resources
- Language
- Art and Literature
- History, Culture, and Life: German Studies
- Finding Books
- Finding Book Reviews
- Going Abroad? Doing Qualitative Research?
- Further Information
Getting Help:
Key Resources
The rest of this guide offers more detailed information about resources that might be useful to you depending on you research topic. But in this section, I've pulled together a few of the resources that most people will use most of the time.
Articles
Look here for tips on finding full text articles.
- MLA International Bibliography (1963-present)
The premier database for literary and cultural studies; provides citations to articles dealing with literature, literary criticism, folklore, language, and linguistics. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and select "Language, LA=" from the dropdown box that normally says "Anywhere."
- Search in English (for subject terms) and German (for titles and other citation information).
- Humanities International Complete
Full-text of journals, books and other sources from around the world in all aspects of the humanities. You can find articles from many of the premier journals in German studies here. All articles will be in English. - ProQuest
Some of the premier journals in German studies are indexed by this database. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and then select "Document Language" from the drop-down box that says "Citation and Abstract."
- Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) or German (for titles).
- JSTOR
This is an electronic archive of important scholarly journal literature. International journals, including such journals as German Quarterly are included here in full text. You will probably not be able to access any articles published within the last 5 years via this database.
[German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Select "German" from the Article Language dropdown box.
- Search using German terms
Web
- Google Deutschland
Google, but in German [German Language Resource] - German Studies Web
Links to newspapers, German library catalogs, German reference tools, Internet research guides, and digitized texts and images. [German Language Resource]
Books
See the section on "Finding Books" for more information, but most of the books and journals related to German language, literature, and history are located at the following call numbers.
- DD's German History
- PF 3001-5999 German Language and Philology
- PT's German Literature and Literary Studies
Language
Dictionaries [German Language Resource]
- wissen.de
Search Wahrig's Deutsches Wörterbuch online through this German portal. - LEO English/German Dictionary
An online dual language dictionary. - Grimm's Deutsches Wörterbuch
Ref PF3625 .G7 v.1-17
The classic philological dictionary of the German language. - Wahrig's Deutsches Wörterbuch
Ref PF3625 .W2 2000
The newest German dictionary in the reference collection; completely updated to reflect revised standards of German spelling. - Oxford Duden German Dictionary
Ref PF3640 .O94 1999
A German-English / English -German dictionary; updated to reflect revised standards of German spelling. - Das Stilwörterbuch (Duden)
Ref PF3528 .D835 2001
An indispensable dictionary of German style.
Art and Literature
Reference Works
Use these sources at the beginning of your research to get an overview of a topic or to identify synonyms or related terms that will apply to your topic. Later, return to these sources to clarify concepts or define new vocabulary. These sources also include bibliographical references that may prove helpful. All of these sources are located in the Reference Collection, and this is only the beginning! Search Bridge or browse the reference shelves to find more.
- The Oxford Companion to German Literature
Contains entries on German authors, literary works, and themes or topics addressed in German literature. - Kindlers neues Literatur Lexikon
Ref PN41 .K53 1998
A revision of the classic literature dictionary; includes critical summaries of major works in German and world literature. [German Language Resource] - Encyclopedia of German Literature
Ref PT41 .E63 2000 v.1-2
Biographical sketches of prominent German language authors, accompanied by bibliographies of selected works and recommended secondary literature.
Scholarly Articles
Look here for tips on finding full text articles.
- MLA International Bibliography (1963-present)
The premier database for literary and cultural studies; provides citations to articles dealing with literature, literary criticism, folklore, language, and linguistics. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and select "Language, LA=" from the dropdown box that normally says "Anywhere."
- Search in English (for subject terms) and German (for titles and other citation information).
- Humanities International Complete
Full-text of journals, books and other sources from around the world in all aspects of the humanities. You can find articles from many of the premier journals in German studies here. All articles will be in English. - ProQuest
Some of the premier journals in German studies are indexed by this database. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and then select "Document Language" from the drop-down box that says "Citation and Abstract."
- Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) or German (titles).
- JSTOR
This is an electronic archive of important scholarly journal literature. International journals, including such journals as German Quarterly are included here in full text. You will probably not be able to access any articles published within the last 5 years via this database. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Select "German" from the Article Language dropdown box.
- Search using German terms.
- Academic Search Premier
This is another interdisciplinary database, which means that you'll be able to search across disciplines to find articles about science, culture, philosophy, and their overlap. All articles will be in English. - Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft
(1945-present)
An annual bibliography of citations to articles on German language and literature; organized by literary period. [German Language Resource]
- Web of Science
Not only can you look for citations of books and articles on your topic, but you can also do a "Cited Reference Search" to find out how many people have cited a particular work or author and what the citing sources are, as well as what citations are contained in a particular work. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Change the dropdown to the right of a search box to "Language" and select "German."
- Enter Search terms in German.
- Sophie: A Digital Library of Early German Women's Writing
A full-text collection of selected works by German women writers of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries; both German and English translated texts are available. Be advised that much of the site is still under construction. [German Language Resource]
History, Culture, and Life: German Studies
Reference Sources
Use these sources at the beginning of your research to get an overview of a topic or to identify synonyms or related terms that will apply to your topic. Later, return to these sources to clarify concepts or define new vocabulary. These sources also include bibliographical references that may prove helpful. All of these sources are located in the Reference Collection, and this is only the beginning! Search Bridge or browse the reference shelves to find more.
- Encyclopedia of Contemporary German Culture
Ref DD290.26 .E53 1999
Covers post 1945 German literature, film, music, political life, architecture, religion, mass media, and more. - Europa World Year Book
Ref JN1 .E85 2001 v.1
The entry for Germany provides a survey of recent German history and politics, a statistical survey with data about population, industry, and finance, and a directory to major political parties, governmental agencies, and media agencies. - Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, People, and Culture, 1871-1990
Ref DD14 .M64 1998 v.1-2
A good source for background information on modern German history.
Scholarly Articles
Look here for tips on finding full text articles.
- Humanities International Complete
Full-text of journals, books and other sources from around the world in all aspects of the humanities. You can find articles from many of the premier journals in German studies here. All articles will be in English. - ProQuest
Some of the premier journals in German studies are indexed by this database.[German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and then select "Document Language" from the drop-down box that says "Citation and Abstract."
- Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) or German (for titles).
- JSTOR
This is an electronic archive of important scholarly journal literature. International journals, including such journals as German Quarterly are included here in full text. You will probably not be able to access any articles published within the last 5 years via this database. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Select "German" from the Article Language dropdown box.
- Search using German terms
- Academic Search Premier
This is another interdisciplinary database, which means that you'll be able to search across disciplines to find articles about science, culture, philosophy, and their overlap. All articles will be in English. - Historical Abstracts (1954-present)
Covers world history from 1450-present; provides citations to articles dealing with all aspects of history, including cultural and literary history. Use "Germany," "Germany, East," or "Germany, West" as subject headings. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Select "German" from the "Language" option box near the bottom right-hand corner of the main search page.
- Enter search terms in German or English.
- Sociological Abstracts
An excellent source for sociological articles in many languages. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Type "German" into one of the search boxes and select "Language, LA=" from the dropdown box that normally says "Anywhere."
- Search in English (for subject terms) and German(for titles and other citation information).
- Retrospektive Digitalisierung wissenschaftlicher Rezensionsorgane und Literaturzeitschriften
A full-text collection of 32 18th and 19th century German journals and magazines; the collection may be searched by author and title keyword; articles are reproduced in pdf format. [German Language Resource]
News Sources
- Lexis Nexis Academic
Includes thousands of newspapers. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Click "news"
- Select "Deutsche Presse" from the "Sources" drop-down box.
- Enter search terms (in German).
- Click "Search"
- German Studies Web: Newspapers and Other News Sources
This portion of German Studies Web, a German Studies megasite, provides links to major German language newspapers and magazines; best to use when searching for very recent articles. [German Language Resource] - DBI / Stadtbibliothek Köln Zeitschriften-Service
Formerly DBI-Link, this database contains over 80,000 citations to articles in the German popular press from the 1990s and 2000s. Note that the Zeitschriften-Service contains no full-text; you will need to request articles through Interlibrary Loan. [German Language Resource] - CRL (Center for Research Libraries) Foreign Newspaper Search
We are able to request microfilm sets from CRL. If you find something you want to see, simply fill out an interlibrary loan request. [German Language Resource]
To find articles in German:- Select a language from the "Language" drop-down box.
- Select "Newspapers" from the "Collection" drop-down box.
- Enter your search terms (in German) and click "Search."
Finding Books
- Bridge
Search Carleton and St. Olaf's collections. [German Language Resource]
To find books in German:- Use the Advanced Search form.
- Enter your search terms using English for Subject searching and German for Keyword and Title searching. (Note: Umlauts are not necessary.)
- Select "German" in the box marked "Language."
- WorldCat
Search this online catalog for libraries throughout the world to take your search beyond Gould Library. [German Language Resource]
To find books in German:- Enter your search terms using English for Subject searching and German for Keyword and Title searching. (Note: Umlauts are not necessary.)
- Select "German" in the box marked "Language."
Search Tips:
- Begin with a keyword search.
- Enter words that describe your topic (names, places, events, etc.). Note that you do not need to enter umlauts.
- When you find a book on your topic, examine its subject headings for relevance to your topic.
- Click on a hyperlinked subject heading to perform subject heading search and retrieve related books.
- Perform a subject heading search in Bridge only if you know a valid Library of Congress subject heading. Note, for example, that many Library of Congress subject headings relevant to German literature do not begin with "German literature."
- Brecht, Bertolt, 1898-1956 -- Correspondence
- Holocaust, Jewish, 1939-1945 -- Germany -- Personal Narratives
- Motion Pictures -- Germany, West
- Search "German Literature" to browse a list of relevant subject headings, such as:
- German Literature -- 18th Century -- History And Criticism
- German Literature -- Film And Video Adaptations
- German Literature -- Jewish Authors -- Translations Into English
Browsing the Stacks:
The following call number ranges contain works relevant to German literature and German studies:
- PF 3001-5999 German Language and Philology
- PT 1-80 German Literature: General History & Criticism
- PT 83-873 History of German Literature
- PT 881- 951 German Folk Literature
- PT 1100-1479 Collections of German Literature
- PT 1501-2688 Individual Authors & Works (by period)
- DD's German History
Finding Book Reviews
Look here for tips on finding full text articles.
- Academic Search Premier
Description: Indexes all the major journals written by and for Americanists, most of which are available in full text. (Also includes the New York Times Book Review and other such trade publications.)
Periodical Types Included: Scholarly, Trade
To Find Book Reviews: Use author's name and/or book title as keyword (or default). Select "Book Review" from the "Document Type" selection box near the middle of the "Refine Search" section of the search page. You may limit your search to "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" if you only want reviews from academic journals.
- ProQuest
Description: Access to thousands of newspapers, popular magazines, and trade publications, as well as scholarly journals important to American Studies. Much of this is available in full text.
Periodical Types Included: Scholarly, Trade, Popular, News
To Find Book Reviews: Use the author's name and/or book title. Click "More Search Options" just below the the contents of the search screen. Then select "Book Review" from the "Document Type" drop-down box near the bottom of the search options. You can also limit your search to "Scholarly journals, including peer reviewed" to get reviews from academic journals. - Humanities International Complete
Description: Access to trade and scholarly periodicals dealing with all aspects of Humanities research.
Periodical Types Included: Scholarly and Trade
To Find Book Reviews: Type the author and/or title into a search box. In the next search box type "Book Review" in quotation marks.
- Periodicals Archive Online
Description and Tips: Older issues are indexed here as far back as the 1800s. For example, the Journal of American Studies is indexed all the way back to 1956 (its first issue). However, there's no full text available from this database, so you'll have to use the Journals List to see if we have access to the full text of the journals listed here elsewhere either in print or online.
Publication Types Included: Scholarly, Trade
To Find Book Reviews: Use the author's name and/or book title and select the "Book Reviews" check box from the upper right-hand section called "search options" in the main search screen.
- Book Review Index
Ref Z1035.A1 B62
Description and Tips: Each entry (laid alphabetically by author of the book that has been reviewed) contains an abbreviation for the journal containing the review, and minimal citation information pointing to the issue and page(s) where the review appears. Remember that books are often reviewed the year after they were published, and that Book Review Index is published three times a year, so you may have to look up to two years after the book's publication date before seeing the first published review. Then check the next volume or two to make sure more reviews weren't published after the initial reviewing frenzy.
Periodical Types Included: Scholarly, Trade
To find the full text of the review cited in Book Review Index: Use the Journals List to see if we have access to the journal in which the review appeared. Then browse or search that database to find the actual review. This can be tricky. Remember, page numbers are your friends, as are keyword searches for titles and authors.
- LexisNexis Academic
Description and Tips: Best for trade publication reviews such as Publisher's Weekly. Search for an author's name or book title (place the full title inside of quotation marks). Adding the term "review" to your search often helps return relevant results.
Periodical Types Included: Trade, News - Readers Guide Retrospective
Description: Best for popular, trade, and news publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times Review of Books, and History Today. This set is remarkable in that it indexes these periodicals between 1890 and 1982.
Periodical Types Included: Popular, Trade, News
To Find Book Reviews: Enter the author and/or title into a search box and then select "Book Reviews" from the "Document Type" dropdown box. - Web of Knowledge
Description: Many book reviews of all types are included in this citation database. The database itself is known primarily for it's ability to search and analyze citations found in scholarly and trade publications, including the ability to ask who has cited a particular article or book, or who has citations similar to those found in a particular article or book.
Periodical Types Included: Scholarly, Trade
To Find Book Reviews: Begin a "General Search." Use the author's name and/or book title into the "topic" search box. At the bottom of the search screen select "Book Reviews" where it says "All Document Types."
Going Abroad? Doing Qualitative Research?
Check out this book as you plan your research. Or, after you've done your research, use this book to help you determine how to use your information effectively.
- Designing Qualitative Research
REF H62 .M277 2006
There is a particularly helpful table (Table 4.1) on page 133 that summarizes the strengths and uses of different kinds of data collection methods.
Further Information
This Research Guide By:
Iris M. Jastram- Reference & Instruc. Librarian for Literature and Languages
- x7105
- ijastram@carleton.edu
- Library 463
