First Year Seminar - Kafka's Metamorphosis

      

Welcome Kafka scholars!  The resources on this web page are focused on Kafka's Metamorphosis.  You will also notice course web pages linked in the right hand column of this page for specific sections of first year seminar classes. You will find print resourcres listed below that are available in the Saint Michael's College Library as well as electronic resources available through the Library web pages.

To locate periodical articles about Metamorphosis, select one of the periodical databases listed below.  Scholarly literary criticism is accessible through other databases such as Literature Resource Criticism, MLA International Bibliography, and Arts and Humanities Citation Index.  Search for books in the SMC library collection with the SMC library catalog. 

In addition to providing resources such as encyclopedias, critical texts, and online periodical databases, the library has developed web pages for students with information about academic integrity and plagiarism, examples of various citation and documentation styles, ands guidelines for evaluating and selecting resources.

The Reference librarians are available to guide students to reliable resources appropriate for homework assignments and resarch projects.  Stop by the reference desk in the library or contact one of the reference librarians for assistance.  Phone numbers and email addresses are linked below.

Checkout these multimedia adaptations of Metamorphosis: Audio and video

Recommended Resources Available through SMC Library Collections 

Reference:
Locate encyclopedia articles for an overview and background information

Encyclopedias provide background information, present important issues and subtopics, and provide a timeframe and history.  Articles in subject encyclopedias are often signed and written by scholars in the field and provide a bibliography of additional sources.  Listed below are several encyclopedias that would be helpful for locating information about Kafka and his Metamorphosis.  Two chronologies located in the reference collection are also included below.

          Credo Reference -- access to online articles             
          Encyclopedia of German Liteature --access electronically

          Encylcopedia of World Biography  Reference  CT103.E56
          Encyclopedia Judaica  Reference DS102.8 E496 
          Encyclopedia of the Novel  Reference DN41.E487                 
          Encyclopedia of Allegorical Literature  Reference PN56.A5 L44
                 
          The People's Chronology          Reference  D11.T83
          Timetables of History             Reference  D11G78

Books:
Locate books and videos in library collections

Search the SMC Library Catalog:

Search the SMC online catalog with keywords or with subject headings such as those listed below. 

    subject headings                   keywords  
kafka, franz kafka and metamorphosis
authors, austrian--20th century kafka and religion
kafka, franz, 1883-1924--criticism     kafka and criticism
kafka, franz, 1883-1924--appreciation kafka and myth

Articles:
Use periodical databases for full text magazine, journal, and newspaper articles

Online electronic databases such as Academic Search Premier and Expanded Academic ASAP provide access to  magazine and journal articles.  These two databases cover a broad selection of publications, some scholarly and some for a more popular audience. In addition, there are two databases to the New York Times newspaper, one for historical research and one for more current articles: New York Times Historical(1851-2002); New York Times Current (1980-current).

Read a NYT article titled: "The Essence of 'Kafkaesque'; A biography assays the Czech writer whose name 'defines us'" by Ivana Edwards, December 29, 1991.

Scholarly Sources:
Use scholarly databases for more academic, in-depth research

Search for scholarly articles on your subject by selecting databases such as JSTOR and ProjectMuse which provide access to a number of  literary journals with full text.  Other scholarly databses include:

Literature Resource Center Info
Historical Abstracts Info
Arts & Humanities Citation Index
Info
MLA International Bibliography Info

Evaluate:
Evaluate and selectively choose resources applying the following evaluation criteria:

Timeliness: is the information current?, updated? historical perspective?
Authority: who is the author; who is responsible for the information presented?
Accuracy:  compare the facts with other sources; does a bibliography provide evidence of research and documentation with other sources? 
Purpose: who is the intended audience
Intended audience: high school, college, graduate level?

 

                           

 

 

Maintained by Marilyn Scoville