There are some tools here to get you started, but if at any point it gets frustrating, or you're not finding what you need, please let me know :) mccuskd@arc.losrios.edu
If you're just getting a feel for the literature and aren't sure what you want to write about, Literature Resource Center would be a good place to start.
Once you have a feel for what you want to write about, give OneSearch a shot. OneSearch searches multiple databases at once, so if OneSearch is working well for you, no need to try the others. But, if you're getting lots of irrelevant hits when you search OneSearch, or if OneSearch is frustrating, experiment with searching the other databases.
Start by trying the name of the author and the name of the work or theme you're writing about. If you get lots and lots of hits, try adding an additional keyword or two.
Background information, scholarly journals, book chapters and magazines covering literary authors and works.