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Science Fiction and Fantasy Guide Ask Us

Guide Sections

Introduction

Welcome to UNB Libraries' (Saint John) Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy. The purpose of this guide is two-fold: to highlight the academic side of this genre, helping you find resources related to SF&F and enhance your learning; and the not-so academic side, helping you "engage" your mind to "see what's out there." -- Shiny!

If you would like to browse through some of the notable items in UNBSJ's Science Fiction and Fantasy collections, you can do so on the UNB Science Fiction and Fantasy showcase.

 

How you want to begin your research depends on your topic and your knowledge. If your topic is brand new to you, you might want to start with book based material. The data and information in books, at least, in non-fiction, academic books, generally differs from that found in articles. It is presented at length but tends to be presented in less depth and with less specificity. Book content may be less "cutting edge" and more likely to present standard, and accepted information. Journal articles often present more controversial content and preliminary research results which require more testing before they are accepted.

For students, books are a logical starting point for research because they often introduce several relevant topics around a broader subject while articles often deal with a single, very specific topic with an assumed context -- that is, articles may assume an audience with a high level of subject knowledge.

Once you have some background on your topic which may help you think critically about related information and data, you will be ready to plunge into journal articles, grey literature, and beyond. Enjoy the search!

In this guide, you will find links leading you to reference materials (dictionaries, specialized encyclopedias, handbooks ...), books (both online and in print), databases (containing full-text journals, full-text articles, and linked material), and more. That said, not everything you will need will be here. Remember, you can always visit a library and ask a librarian for more help.

In addition to this course guide, you might also wish to explore:

UNB Libraries Guide to English Literature, UNB Libraries, Saint John

UNB Libraries' Guide to Canadian Literature, UNB Libraries, Saint John

 

News and Views

Ansible, UK

Science Fiction Books, Guardian, UK

Locus Online

New York Review of Science Fiction

Science Fiction & Fantasy, NPR Books

Tangent Online

 

Last modified on March 29, 2024 05:41