Team+2,+ref+log+4a

//Bibliomania//. (n.d.). Retrieved from [] //.//
 * Team 2, Reference log 4a: Literature sources ||  ||<   ||
 * Reviewed by Sarah ||

Excitement was the word that came to mind as I came across this website. I was thrilled to find something of this nature that includes some currently non-popular authors. When I first visited, however, the website appeared to be quite limited and confusing. After a thorough search, I realized that I would have to register to gain access to the entire site. Registration is free and open to anyone. This is an interesting site, to be sure. Clicking on the search link, further restrictions are given starting with type of work, followed by author’s name and ending with titles. I started with “fiction”, was given a long list of authors and chose the Baroness Orczy. The only title listed was //Scarlet Pimpernel//, even though she was the author of many more titles. It was then that I realized that the entire text was here for reading, as is the case for many other titles. Although some of the links do not work, and the full text search was unavailable while I was looking here, this is quite impressive. For ease of use, this is not the best place to go. After some digging, however, the site becomes a bit easier to manage and figure out. Registering and logging in seems to be the key. Before doing that, this site appeared quite limited and non-interesting. After logging in, the amount available for reading and research is astounding. The study guides and research links have a huge amount of information included. The study guides link lists just that; study guides. I chose William Shakespeare’s’ //A Midsummer Night’s Dream// to look over as that play is quite familiar. The study guide is good and would help to enhance critical thinking in students. From there, I clicked on the teacher resource link, which took me to a page advertising a teacher day at the Globe Theatre, which could be won in a contest. The contest ended in 2001, so obviously the link is not current! Otherwise, the student information here is good and quite useful. From what I can tell, it would be quite the aid for high school students. While the visual appeal of this site is not the best and some of the links are outdated, the information here is good. Students of English and teachers of English would find the information beneficial, as many authors and titles are included. The teacher resources have the potential to be quite helpful, but currently there is not much to this link save for the Shakespeare information listed above.
 * Age/grade level:** High School
 * Subject Area(s):** English, History
 * Overall rating:** 6 – due to ease of use. Had the site been easier to initially navigate, the rating would have been higher.
 * ||< //Sabrina's// comment : I did not register to fully explore the site, but I did get a basic enough idea just by browsing the different options. It is a very useful tool that allows users to find full-texts of books, but as Lisa also state, it is not visually appealing. I looked at the full-text of Pride and Prejudice and it was just very quickly typed text (with spelling errors). One thing I really disliked is the fact that a very small amount of text is place on one page. It could be typed in a more visually appealling format and to allow maximum use of space. Also, the option to turn the page is located at the very bottom of the screen in small print. I think this has the potential to be a great resource if a little more time and effort is spent on it. In today's economy, this would be a great source for books when schools can't afford to buy class sets, but there definitely needs to b some improvements made.

//Lisa's// comment :This website is very plain and not visually appealing at all. It definitely took me some time to figure out how to navigate the site. The link to register was so small, I did not see it until I read your review and went back to look. I was disappointed to read in the FAQ that the company no longer has funds or employees to remain up-to-date. I did register though (I felt it was worth it), and I was pleased to see how many more titles were available to me. This site could be useful not only to students, but also to teachers. Good find. || Sparknotes.com. (2010). Retrieved March 23, 2010, from http://www.sparknotes.com  ||   || Sparknotes is probably one of the most recognized literary sources, especially among students. It is available in print format and an on-line which allows for quick, easy access for all users. Despite its reputation as the “cheat-sheet” to reading, this on-line source provides a wealth of information to help students, teachers, and parents. Options available from the home page include Sparknotes (Literature), No Fear Shakespeare, College, Test Prep, and SparkLife. The Sparknotes main page is what people are most familiar with. Here, students can find notes to help with works of literature they are studying in class. Users can search by title or author or, for quick access, they can jump thru the ABC list. Once a work is selected, there is an option to buy an ebook, PDF, or book form of the selected notes. This isn’t necessary because all of the information is also online. Each work contains the following information: context (author’s information), plot overview, character list with descriptions, analysis of major characters, themes/motifs/symbols, chapter summaries and analysis, important quotations explained, key facts (author, publication info, tone setting, symbols, etc.) study questions/essay topics, quiz, suggestions for further reading, and instructions on how to cite the Sparknote. I personally love this site. I use it when reading a new work if I need help understanding, or I use it to help create lectures to present to the class. Many teachers argue that this site should never even be mentioned to students because they will use it instead of reading the book. For some students that is unfortunately true, but the great in-depth information makes it worth mentioning. Parents will find this handy when they want to help students with homework but have never read the book themselves. The No-fear Shakespeare section is very useful for low-level readers or ESOL Students. Users are able to read the original Shakespeare text alongside a modern version of the text. Sometimes the language of Shakespeare’s plays can be difficult, so if students are reading at home, they can use this site to help understand the text. The College and Test Prep Sections of the site help students as they begin to make decisions about college and help them feel prepared for Standardized tests such as SAT and Act. As a free site, this online resource has numerous befits for a variety of users. It isn’t just for literature - all subjects areas are linked. It is eye-catching, and despite its abundant amount of information, it is easy to navigate and use. Media Centers should encouraged teachers to find the benefits of the site and hopefully learn to incorporate into their classroom when possible.
 * Reviewed by //Sabrina//

Grade Level: 7-12 Subject Area: Predominately Literature, but also other core subjects and test Prep classes Quality Ranking: 8 (could be more clearly organized) ||  ||<  //Sarah's// comment : I agree completely with what both you and Lisa said about Sparknotes. It is a good site, and one that is quite usable, once you figure it out. No-fear Shakespeare is one my daughter uses for school and loves it. If I had had access to something like that along the way, it would have made life much easier. I, too, appreciate that the HS Lit teacher sees the merit in a site like this rather than students just using it to not read an entire novel.

//Lisa's// comment : I reviewed Sparknotes for one of my other logs, and I became a fan immediately. I agree, it could be better organized, but one the user becomes more experienced in navigating the site, it will provide the user with plenty of information. I love literature and would encourage my students to use it as a study guide once they have read the work in question. I appreciate that a HS lit teacher, like you, finds it useful for teaching and developing lecture notes. Thanks for the great review. || //C-Span American writers: A journey through history//. (2010). Retrieved March 13, 2010, from []
 * Reviewed by //Lisa// ||

I had no idea that C-Span, the cable channel showing government-related programs and live congressional hearings, etc., had produced a series based on the history of American writers. The authors covered span time periods from 1600 to 1975. The home page itself is not busy at all and has absolutely no advertisements, which I appreciate. From the home page, one will find three options for information on American authors: writer, work, or place. Within the “Writers” option, one can choose an author based on the time period in which he or she wrote. The “Place” option does the same, providing options based on time periods and geographic locations. Briefly, the time periods are as follows: 1600-1800, 1800-1850, 1850-1865, 1865-1901, 1901-1929, 1929-1945, 1945-1961, and 1961-1975.

Once the user selects a writer or work, the user is brought to a new screen showing a brief biography of the writer, complete with dates of life and death, a list of important works, and a list of other websites the user can visit for more information on the author. There are a few very helpful, neat features for each author as well. One can click on the menu items on the right-hand side of the author screen to see more information. I chose “Featured Work” for Emerson and was brought to a new screen with a brief description of the work “Nature.” After the synopsis, there is a box with the option to read the entire work. Fantastic! The option called “Featured Place” brings the user to a screen with a description of the key place affiliated with the author: in Emerson’s case, the location is Walden Pond. The information provided is a brief description of Walden Pond in its historical context as related to Emerson and Thoreau. Beneath the narrative is a box providing additional web sites for more information on the location as well as a box with more information on the two writers highlighted in the narrative on Walden Pond.

Back at the homepage, one has even more decisions to make. One can choose to visit the C-Span video library, which brings one to the website containing all titles available here, not just those in this series of American writers. There are more options under the menu in which the user chooses to see writers, works, or places. Teachers will be delighted to know that they can choose “Video Archives” for a listing of programming dates for upcoming coverage of writers during the time periods listed. One can not view video clips from here: however, if a teacher clicks on “C-Span in the Classroom,” he or she will find information on teacher resources, video lesson plans, “Study the source/Interactive scrapbook” which provides one with additional information on this site. I was extremely disappointed to see that no matter which option I chose for viewing videos or clips, I was met with an error message saying the address or protocol could not be found. Although the last update was in 2010, all of the schedules for programming shown appear to be from years past, and it is difficult to determine which year.

The amount of writers covered is not extensive. However, the writers with biographies and works listed are very famous (although some notables are missing such as Poe and Dickinson). Students and teachers will be disappointed in the inability of users to view videos, but the written information is good for literature and history classes. I was truly impressed that some authors had links to view works in their entirety, although the likelihood of having this option available decreased vastly as one got into the 20th century authors. Still, the site could be useful to students wishing for brief summaries of authors and their famous works, and teachers may appreciate having one more place to access teacher resources and lessons.

Grades: //9-12// Subject(s): American Literature, American History Rating: // 7 //
 * ||< //Sarah's// comment : Lisa, I, too, reviewed this site and my impression was just the same as yours. I did not know that this was available through C-Span and was amazed to come across it. The site is good and would be good for a student in a tight spot, but it could have been better. The ideas behind this site were great; it appears as though the complete follow through was not there. More complete works for all authors would be a great idea, as would adding some authors who also impacted American society.

//Sabrina's// comment : I was getting so excited as I read your review until you said the videos wouldn't work. I am constantly looking for sites to find videos on because most everything is blocked in our school system. It's still a good site for basic research. I could see it being used as an introduction to the different time periods of American Literature and the writer's of those times. I would love to see the videos start working. If that happens, I think this will be a great source. I also like the ability to read full text for some works. ||