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English Composition: Reference Books

Selected resources for finding books, articles, and more on topics in the area of composition and writing.

Reference Books

Reference Books

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Abbreviations Dictionary
  R 423.1 D466a8

Acronyms, Initialisms, & Abbreviations Dictionary
  423.1 Ac775

African American Quotations
  R 081.08996 Af834

A Poet's Glossary
  R 808.103 H669

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
  R 423.1 Am625a 1997

Bartlett’s Book of Business Quotations
  R 650 B284

Dictionary of American Regional English
  R 427.973 D561

Familiar Quotations
  R 808.8 B28f16

Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language
  R 428.2 C738

Concise Dictionary of Foreign Quotations
  R 080 C748 2001

Cyclopedia of Literary Characters
  R 809.927 C992 1998

Cyclopedia of Literary Places
  R 809.922 C992

Dictionary of Eponyms
  R 423.1 B391d3

Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory
  R 803 C893d4

Dictionary of Similes
  R 082 W6999d 1990

Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
  R 427.09 P258d8

Dictionary of the American West
  427.978 B617d

Encyclopedia of Allegorical Literature
  R 809.915 L517e

Encyclopedia of Apocalyptic Literature
  R 809.9338 Z655e

Encyclopedia of Folklore and Literature
  R 803 En193 1998

Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing
  R 907.2022 En195

Encyclopedia of Literary Critics and Criticism
  R 801.9503 En195 1999

Encyclopedia of Literary Epics
  R 809.13203 J134e

Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction
  R 809.3 B353

Encyclopedia of Rhetoric
  R 808.003 E5646

Encyclopedia of Satirical Literature
  R 809.5003 Sn525e

Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
  R 809.3876 En195

Encyclopedia of the Essay
  R 809.4003 En195 1997

Encyclopedia of the Novel
  R 809.3003 En195

Facts on File Dictionary of Clichés
  R 423.1 Am625f 2001

Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases
  R 422.403 M3175f

Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs
  R 082 M3175f

Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins
  R 422.03 H3848f3

Fiction Dictionary
  R 801.95303 H396f

Handbook of Nonsexist Writing
  R 428.2 M612h2

Homophones and Homographs: An American Dictionary
  R 423.1 H652h3

How Not to Say What You Mean: A Dictionary of Euphemisms
  R 423.1 H711h3

MacMillan Dictionary of Political Quotations
  R 082 Ei41m

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama
  R 809.2 M178 1984

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
  Ref Desk 808.027 G35mh6

MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing
  R 808.027 M6894

New Dictionary of American Slang
  R 427.973 C367n

NTC’s Dictionary of Debate
  R 808.53 H198n

Oxford Book of Aphorisms
  R 082 Ox251

Oxford Dictionary of Allusions
  R 422.03 D372o

Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang
  R 427.09 Ox255

Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying and Quotation
  R 082 Ox266 2002

Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
  R 808.882 Ox226

Oxford Dictionary of Thematic Quotations
  R 082 Ox267

Oxford Dictionary of Twentieth Century Quotations
  R 808.882 Ox255 1999

Poetry Dictionary
  R 808.103 D845p

Quotable Woman: First 5,000 Years
  R 301.412 Q575 2001

Random House Webster’s College Thesaurus
  Ref Desk 423.1 R159 1997

Slang!: The Topic-by-Topic Dictionary of Contemporary American Lingoes
  R 427.973 D559s

Social Protest Literature: An Encyclopedia
  R 809.93355 S65 N389s

Storytelling Encyclopedia
  R 808.543 St765

Twentieth Century Literary Movements Dictionary
  R 809.91090403 T918

20th Century Words
  R 423.1 Ay93t

Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English
  428 P27c

Where Credit Is Due: A Guide to Proper Citing of Sources, Print and Nonprint
  808.027 Sh615w2

Words to Rhyme With
  R 423.1 Es675w 2001

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