Literary Research in Harvard Libraries

Access articles and books for free

NEVER pay for something yourself without checking the library first!

• Read How to Use Your Harvard Key to Get Online Articles for Free
• Install the Check Harvard Library Bookmark and GoogleScholar
• Use "Try Harvard Library" and "Check Access Options" when you see them
• For troubleshooting help, send the citation or description to Ask A Librarian

Organize and cite your sources

Short-term: save and cite directly in the database

Most library databases offer tools to format citations and save items. Use these to make a temporary list or to format a citation quickly.

• HOLLIS: Save & Cite (HOLLIS User Guide). Log in with your HarvardKey to save items to your HOLLIS account.
• MLA International Bibliography (from EBSCO): EBSCOhost folder feature (vendor FAQ). Note: you do not need a MyEBSCO account: just remember to export your items before closing the browser.

Long-term: citation software

• I recommend Zotero
  • Install Zotero (Harvard-specific instructions) - with Zotero you can save items from any source, instantly format and re-format citations, organize folders and tags, etc. Note: the Zotero browser plug-in and Zotero app are two separate tools that work together, make sure you've installed both!
  • Zotero classes and community - attend a start-of-term workshop or join the Zotero user group
• Citation Tools (FAQ). Better understand citation management software.
• Not ready for Zotero? It's still a good idea to store your sources on your own system, outside of any library database: paste citations into a document, keep a folder of PDFs in cloud storage, etc.

Cloud storage

Harvard affiliates get 1 TB of storage via OneDrive

Writing with sources

Style guides

Take the time to read your style manual. In addition to telling you how to format citations, these guides offer tips on how to balance concision with clarity, how to format a date for adjectival use, when to use the singular they, and much more.

• MLA
  • MLA Handbook (9th edition) - print book on 3-hour digital reserves
  • MLA Style Center - quick access to the basics of MLA citation, plus blog posts with extra examples and details to supplement the full Handbook
• Chicago
  • Chicago Manual of Style Online (16th & 17th editions)
• APA (for social sciences)
  • Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition)
  • APA Style tutorials and free access to FAQs about APA style

Tutors and guides to research

• Find out if your department has a writing fellow
• Take advantage of tutoring at the Writing Center
• Read the Harvard Guide to Using Sources
• Find a guide to research methods for Anglophone literature