Basic Library Tools
- OneSearch This link opens in a new windowUse this discovery tool to search most of the University Libraries' collections, including books, journal articles, newspapers, dissertations, music, and video recordings. (Ex Libris)
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Search for journal articles on most topics. This multi-disciplinary database is a good place to start if you don't know where else to begin. (EBSCO)
- Google ScholarA subset of Google, focusing on academic sources.
- Interlibrary LoanUse our interlibrary loan service to request books and articles not available at UR.
Online Dialect Archives
- International Dialects of English ArchiveStrong global range of standardized samples, with almost all subjects reading the same text. Nearly 1,500 samples from 120 countries.
- North American English Dialects, Based on Pronunciation PatternsRick Aschman website recommended by Prof. Kissling.
- Audio Samples of Local DialectsFrom Rick Aschmann's page.
You can also search for "accent tags" on Youtube. There is a specific list of words to read and questions to answer and people from around the country (and world) have recorded themselves to provide examples of their local speech.
Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias are for answering questions that have known, generally agreed upon, answers--the fact-based "who," "what," "when," and "where" questions. For "why" and (non-procedural) "how" questions, you usually need to do research in books and journals.
Encyclopedia of Language and linguisticsISBN: 9786612710988
- Dictionary of American Regional English.DARE focuses on the regional aspects of our language, documenting words, phrases, and pronunciations that vary from one place to another. It includes audio clips and quotations from the DARE Survey conducted 1965-1970, and an interactive map
The Handbook of English Linguistics by Call Number: Boatwright Circulating Books - Basement Levels Call Number: PE1106 .A27 2006ISBN: 1405113820Publication Date: 2006-08-21
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowSearch for background information on a variety of topics published in the Oxford series of reference books. Find information on topics in the arts, sciences, history, language and literature, and more. (Oxford)
- eBook Collection (Gale) This link opens in a new windowSearch for ebooks that provide a broad overview of many topics. The database includes mostly reference works, such as encyclopedias, almanacs, yearbooks, handbooks, and more. (Gale)
- Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new windowLook up the meaning of words in this updated, online version of the Oxford English Dictionary. It's particularly useful when researching the etymology of a word. (Oxford)
Encyclopedia of Television by Call Number: Boatwright Reference - First Floor Call Number: PN1992.18 .E5 2004ISBN: 1579583946Publication Date: 2004-10-04
The Encyclopedia of 20th Century American Television by Call Number: Boatwright Circulating Books - Basement Levels Call Number: PN1992.18 .L33 2003ISBN: 0816045542Publication Date: 2002-11-01
Blogs and Podcasts
- All Things LinguisticA daily blog about all things linguistic by Gretchen McCulloch, who writes about linguistics for a general audience.
- SuperlinguoLinguistics researcher in Australia.
- Language HatInteresting but most useful for the long and varied list of language resource links.
Humanities Librarian
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804-289-8823
What is Background Information?
We often think of sources of background information as the kind of neutral "we all agree on these facts" sort of article that you can find in an encyclopedia or textbook, and that is one type of background source. However, providing background is a function, not a type or format of information source. Primary documents, whether textual, visual, audio, or material, can also provide foundational information if their authenticity is accepted. If you are analyzing a particular speech performance, you can read an encyclopedia article or textbook about the characteristic dialect or speech habits of the relevant/reference population, but you can also listen to a half dozen examples of people speaking who belong to that group for comparison or examine a map of American dialect variants. Some background information is statistical, some is biographical; some is contemporary and some, historical; some summarizes large bodies of research and some relates personal experiences. Background information helps you understand the context for your analysis and explain it to your reader. It is not the subject or focus of your research, but it establishes a factual basis or foundation from which you and your reader can proceed. It is therefore advisable to use background sources that are either familiar to your expected audience and/or will be accepted as valid without an argument..
