QVCC Librarians
[email protected]
860.932.4007
Resources for Eng 102 Literary Analysis
When accessing library databases from off-campus, you will be prompted to log-in via MyCommnet.
Navigating this guide:
Biographical Information
Literary Criticism
Better Googling
Suggested Websites
Citing Your Sources
Biographical Information – learning more about Lin-Manual Miranda
If you want to learn more about Lin-Manuel Miranda or other artists and about how their life
experiences or artistic legacy may have influenced Hamilton: An American Musical, QVCC’s
biographical databases are a great place to start. Enter Lin-Manuel Miranda (or a different
artist’s name) into the search box:
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Biography in Context includes biographical entries from encyclopedias and also offers
academic articles, magazine and newspaper features and some video content. This is a Gale
database – log in using Google or Microsoft.
Biography Reference Bank also provides biographical articles from many sources, including
magazines, trade publications, interviews and encyclopedias. This is an Ebsco database—log
in by creating a free research account.
Literary Criticism & Reviews
Read what professional critics, theatre, music, and hip-hop reviewers and scholars have written about
Lin-Manuel Miranda, about Hamilton, or about broader themes relating to your own analysis of the play,
its characters, genres, styles, or the impact of this play on Broadway and on the theatre more generally.
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Literature Resource Center offers a wide range of writings and perspectives on the lives and
works of varied artists. This is a Gale database—log in using Google or Microsoft. Sample
searches include:
o Lin-Manuel Miranda
o Hamilton and Broadway
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Gale Power Search: Search all of the Gale databases at once. Results will include articles
from academic journals, magazines, newspapers, and video. Log in using Google or
Microsoft. Sample searches include:
o Lin-Manuel Miranda
o Hamilton and Broadway
o Hip-hop and Broadway
o Hip-hop and theatre
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Ebsco One Search: Search all of the Ebsco databases at once. Similar to Gale Power Search
but may include articles from a different range of sources, including trade publications and
primary source documents. Log in using your Ebsco research account.
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ProQuest searches one or all of these newspapers simultaneously: Hartford Courant, the
New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, and
the Christian Science Monitor.
Savvy Internet Research Using the CRAAP Method and Better Googling
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Anyone can post anything to the Internet. Use the CRAAP Method to determine which websites
are credible for your research.
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Use Google’s advanced search techniques to weed out some of the less credible sites. For
example:
Lin-Manuel Miranda podcast site:.org
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The above search limits Google’s results to podcasts available on “organization”
websites. Substitute other domain extensions as needed (for example, limit to college
or university sites [ Lin-Manuel Miranda site:.edu ].
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Use Google’s filters to limit results to “news” or to “videos.”
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By opening the “search tools,” the results can also be limited by date.
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Use file extensions to limit results to publications (file:.pdf), slides (file:.pptx, etc.
Sampling of Hamilton-related Web Sources
• Streaming Video - sample search
Lin-Manuel Miranda streaming
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PBS Documentary: Hamilton’s America: A Documentary Film (available through 11/18/16)
CBS News: Hamilton: The Backstage Tour
CBS News: Lin-Manuel Miranda Interview with Charlie Rose
Tony Awards Performances: Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
• Podcasts – sample search
Lin-Manuel Miranda podcast
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• Lyrics
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Oskar Eustis & Lin-Manuel Miranda interview with the New Yorker Radio Hour
Find lyrics and user commentary at Genius.Com
Articles – sample searches
Hip-hop and broadway
Composers on Lin-Manuel Miranda
Rappers on Lin-Manuel Miranda
Miranda Hamilton development of character
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Eastwood, Joel, and Erik Hinton. “How does ‘Hamilton,’ the Non-Stop, Hip-Hop
Broadway Sensation Tap Rap’s Master Rhymes to Blur Musical Lines?” Wall
Street Journal Graphics. Dow Jones & Company. 6 June 2016. Web. 31 Oct.
2016. http://graphics.wsj.com/hamilton/
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Evans, Suzy. “The Cabinet behind Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton.’ ” American Theatre.
Theatre Communications Group. 6 Aug. 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.
https://www.americantheatre.org/2015/08/06/the-cabinet-behind-lin-manuelmirandas-hamilton/
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---. “How ‘Hamilton’ found its Groove.” American Theatre. Theatre Communications
Group, 27 July 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.
http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/07/27/how-hamilton-found-its-groove/
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Mead, Rebecca. “All about the Hamiltons: A New Musical Brings the Founding Fathers
Back to Life—with a Lot of Hip-Hop.” The New Yorker. Conde Nast. 9 Feb. 2015.
Web. 1 Nov. 2016. (A long new Yorker article touches on the musical genres
used to express characters:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/hamiltons )
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Paulson, Michael. “’Hamilton’ heads to Broadway in a Hip-Hop Retelling.” New York
Times. The New York Times Company. 12 July 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/theater/hamilton-heads-to-broadway-ina-hip-hop-retelling.html
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Zimmer, Ben. “ ‘Hamilton’ through the Lens of Language.” Slate. The Slate Group. 10
May 2016. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/normal/2016/10/28/the_trick_or_treat_cut_off_a
ge_should_be_13.html
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Wickman, Forrest. “All the Hip-Hop References in Hamilton: A Track-by-Track Guide.” Slate. The
Slate Group. 24 Sept. 2015. Web. 2 Nov. 2016.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/09/24/hamilton_s_hip_hop_references_al
l_the_rap_and_r_b_allusions_in_lin_manuel.html
Citing Your Sources
For information from library databases, use the citation tools provided to copy and paste the suggested
citation in MLA format. Check the citation and correct the formatting as necessary.
For articles, video, podcasts, etc. found on web, gather the components needed for the MLA citation:
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Author, reporter, or creator of the article, podcast, or video, if identified
Name of the person being interviewed, if applicable
Title of the source
Name of the website
Publisher or sponsor of the website
Date the information was published, posted, or last updated
URL or DOI
To see a summary of MLA guidelines and citation examples, view the library guide. Below are
examples of citations for streaming video and online interviews:
Streaming video
“Hamilton’s America: A Documentary Film.” Great Performances. PBS. WNET, New York, 21 Oct. 2016.
Streaming. PBS. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
Interview
Eustis, Oskar. “The Marxist Who Brought ‘Hamilton’ to the People.” Interview by David Remick. The
New Yorker Radio Hour. WNYC Studios, New York, 3 June 2016. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
TIP: Use an online citation generator (we recommend KnightCite) or use the citation management
software in Microsoft Word or Office 365 to format citations according to MLA style. Check the
generated citations for proper formatting.
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