French Research Guide
The purpose of this research guide is to introduce you to the variety of sources available to you as you begin your research on French language and literature at Queens College Libraries. It is organized according to:
Bibliographer for FrenchEncyclopedias & Dictionaries
French Literature
- Guide to French Poetry Explication (Table 20, Ref. PQ 401.C65 1993)
- Dictionnaire des littératures de langue française (Ref. PQ41 .D533 1987)
- Feminist Encyclopedia of French Literature (Ref. PQ149 .F47 1999)
- French Prose and Criticism, 1790 to World War II (Ref. PQ621 .F74 1990)
- Guide to French Literature: Beginnings to 1789 (Ref. PQ41 .L47 1994)
- Guide to French Literature 1789 to Present (Ref. PQ226 .L48 1992)
- Histoire de la France littéraire (Ref. PQ142 .H57 2006, 3 vols.)
- The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French (Ref. PQ41 .N49 1995)
French History & Culture
- French Culture 1900–1975 (Ref. DC33.7 .F726)
French Language
- Le Robert & Collins Super Senior: Grand dictionnaire français-anglais/anglais-français. (Ref. PC2540 .R6 2005, 2 vols.)
- Le grand Robert de la langue française (Ref. PC2625 .R62 2001, 6 vols.)
- Online Dictionaries
Books
- CUNY Catalog
- Search for books at the Queens College libraries, as well as other CUNY libraries.
- Library Catalogs
- Search the library catalogs of regional libraries such as New York University, Columbia University, etc.
- New York Public Library
- Search CATNYP, the catalog of the research libraries at NYPL. Books at the research libraries are non-circulating and must be consulted on site. NYPL has one of the premier research collections in the country and is open to all New York State residents.
Articles
Below are a few suggested humanities-related databases to search for journal articles that also cover French language and literature. You can use other databases depending on what topic you are researching.
- ARTFL
- Searchable index of French language literary philosophical political and scientific works from the 13th to 20th centuries. Also includes Diderot & d'Alembert's Encyclopedie and various dictionaries.
- Arts & Humanities Citation Index
- Arts, humanities, literature, dance, archaeology and history. Citations to articles only.
- Humanities Full Text
- Full text articles from English language journals in the arts and humanities.
- JSTOR
- Database of full text scholarly journal articles in many disciplines, including language and literature. Coverage is from the journal's first issue to about five years ago.
- Literature Resource Center
- Biographical and critical information on authors, explications, overviews of literature and a timeline of literary events from antiquity to the present.
- MLA International Bibliography
- Produced by Modern Language Association of America, covers scholarship related to literature, linguistics, folklore, literary theory, etc., with citations to journal articles, book chapters, and dissertations.
- Project Muse
- Full text scholarly and peer reviewed humanities journal articles in fields of literature and criticism, cultural studies, francophone Africa.
Indexes
For in-depth research on French literature, advanced researchers consult two excellent sources still only available in print:
- French XX Bibliography (Ref. Z2173 .F71, 1970 to present)
- Comprehensive listing of books, articles and book reviews on French literature since 1885.
- Bibliographie der Französischen Literaturwissenschaft (Ref. Z2171 .B56, 1956/58 to present)
- Major reference work for the study of French literature of France and French speaking countries. Books, articles, conference papers, and theses in over 400 periodicals.
Not everything listed in either index will be owned by QC Libraries. You will then need to do a book or journal title search in the CUNY Catalog.
Electronic Journals & Newspapers
- L'Esprit créateur
- French Forum
- French Review
- French Studies
- French Studies Bulletin
- Journal of French Language Studies
- Nineteenth Century French Studies
- Sartre Studies International
- French Newspapers and weekly magazines
Associations & Programs
- French Institute/Alliance Française
- French program, European Languages & Literatures, Queens College
Web Gateways
- French Studies Web (Western European Specialists Section, Association of College & Research Libraries)
- Voice of the Shuttle: French Literature
A general reminder: You should always evaluate the accuracy of your sources wherever you find them, and think critically about the author's arguments. When in doubt, check with your French instructor.
