Harry Potter and the Wizarding World are creations of J.K. Rowling. The first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerers' Stone in the US) was first published in the UK in 1997 and was picked up by US publisher Scholastic Books a year later. It celebrated its 20th anniversary of US publication in September 2018. As of February 2018, there have been over 500 million Harry Potter books sold around the world in 80 different languages.
The series follows Harry on his journey of discovering wizardry and eventually saving the entire Wizarding World. Throughout the series, Rowling tackles a variety of themes and issues, including death, friendship, discrimination, social injustice, bystanders, and more. The books have had a lasting impact on society, inspiring conventions, destinations, organizations, and millions of readers.
The goal of this assignment is to investigate the impact Harry Potter has had on society. This can include the literary landscape, pop culture, activism, children's literacy and moral development, and more.
For this assignment, you will be using two main types of articles: scholarly articles from databases and articles from reputable news organizations, such as USA Today. You should not be using information found on fan websites.
The guides below will help you evaluate your sources to make sure you are finding reliable information.
Most database searches take several tries to find useful results. Sometimes you need to change your search terms and adjust your filters to find the articles you seek. The following guides contain search tips to help you get good results.
Searching databases can be difficult. The Library generally suggests that you spend 15-20 minutes playing with your search. If, after that time, you're still having trouble, send us a question through Ask A Librarian or come in to chat with us directly. We can help you find the right keywords or help you modify your topic to be more search-friendly.
When searching for scholarly articles, it is best to use Library databases so that you find articles that are openly available to you as an Ivy Tech Student. Using search engines, such as Google Scholar, is another option, however you may run into pay walls. Never pay to read an article that you find - if you decide it is one you need, place an Interlibrary Loan Request on our website and we will try to get it for you.
EBSCOhost is a service that allows you to search multiple databases at once. You can click the check boxes next to any database you find interesting. Here is a list of EBSCOhost databases you may want to choose for your search. Depending on your topic, you may find others in the list that are relevant.
If you get stuck using any of these databases, you can submit a question through Ask A Librarian. You can also try the following guides:
The Library also has databases available to help you search for news articles. You can search these databases one at a time by clicking below, or all at once by choosing them from the list in EBSCOhost.
Amateur Media: Social, Cultural and Legal Perspectives by
The rise of Web 2.0 has pushed the amateur to the forefront of public discourse, public policy and media scholarship. Typically non-salaried, non-specialist and untrained in media production, amateur producers are now seen as key drivers of the creative economy. But how do the activities of citizen journalists, fan fiction writers and bedroom musicians connect with longer traditions of extra-institutional media production? This edited collection provides a much-needed interdisciplinary contextualisation of amateur media before and after Web 2.0. Surveying the institutional, economic and legal construction of the amateur media producer via a series of case studies, it features contributions from experts in the fields of law, economics and media studies based in the UK, Europe and Singapore. Each section of the book contains a detailed case study on a selected topic, followed by two further pieces providing additional analysis and commentary. Using an extraordinary array of case studies and examples, from YouTube to online games, from subtitling communities to reality TV, the book is neither a celebration of amateur production nor a denunciation of the demise of professional media industries. Rather, this book presents a critical dialogue across law and the humanities, exploring the dynamic tensions and interdependencies between amateur and professional creative production. This book will appeal to both academics and students of intellectual property and media law, as well as to scholars and students of economics, media, cultural and internet studies.
The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters by
From vampires and demons to ghosts and zombies, interest in monsters in literature, film, and popular culture has never been stronger. This concise Encyclopedia provides scholars and students with a comprehensive and authoritative A-Z of monsters throughout the ages. It is the first major reference book on monsters for the scholarly market.
Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters by
Chambers Dictionary of Literary Characters provides an invaluable guide to the wealth of characters created by writers in English - from the Wife of Bath to Bertie Wooster, and Tom Sawyer to Harry Potter. Features include concise biographies of authors, panels covering such topics as 'The Detective in Fiction' and 'Dickens' Characters', and an appendix of literary awards.
Field Guide to Harry Potter by
Everything you need to know about Harry Potter!
From plot summaries to refresh your memory (Do you remember which book introduces the character of Luna Lovegood?) to a delightful glossary of characters, places, spells and special objects (Do you know what the spell aparecium does?), this book, authored by Colin Duriez, is designed to be an excellent companion to the Harry Potter books.
With loads of quotes from interviews, you'll learn all about J. K. Rowling's life and her literary influences. Chapters on the spirituality of Potter explore the question of how Rowling's faith is reflected in the stories, what she believes about witchcraft and how the stories fit with Christian tradition.
(Note: unauthorized version)
Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts by
Harry Potter has put a spell on millions of readers, and they all want to find out more about the deeper meaning of his adventures. In Harry Potter and Philosophy, 17 experts in the field of philosophy unlock some of Hogwarts' secret panels, uncovering surprising insights that are enlightening both for wizards and for the most discerning muggles. Individual chapters look at such topics as life revealed in the Mirror of Erised; the ethics of magic; Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, and the relation of the mind to the brain; and the character of Hermione as a case of "sublimated feminism." Also examined in this witty collection are how Aristotle would have run a school for wizards; whether the Potter stories undermine religion and morality; how to tell good people from evil ones through the characters in these novels; and what dementors and boggarts can teach readers about happiness, fear, and the soul.
Harry Potter’s World Wide Influence by
The Harry Potter series forms a single epic story that has been published in nearly 70 languages, and has been examined in a large number of disciplines. This collection of essays contributes to the scholarly discourse that forms Potter Studies. These essays take on the consideration of Rowling's work as being worthy of study as a phenomenon and influence, as well as a work of literary value. They add genuine statistical information about the reasons for the books' popularity, consider their effects on child readers, and examine some deep-rooted reasons for their having been manipulated in American publishing, in film adaptations, in musical complements, and in their thingification in popular culture around the world. Some of these essays take on the critics of the books' religion and considerations of psychological, as well as philosophical good and evil, and well as some stylistic anomalies. The fact that scholars from China, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Israel, in addition to English-speaking nations, have felt compelled to examine these books in detail testifies in part to Harry Potter's world-wide influence.
If Harry Potter Ran General Electric: Leadership Wisdom from the World of the Wizards by
Blending an array of provocative examples from J. K. Rowling’s novels with thought-provoking commentary on contemporary management practices, this book offers readers a master’s course on leadership and ethics, told in an engaging and insightful way.
Ivory Tower and Harry Potter : Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon by
The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter is the first book-length analysis of J. K. Rowling's work from a broad range of perspectives within literature, folklore, psychology, sociology, and popular culture. A significant portion of the book explores the Harry Potter series' literary ancestors, including magic and fantasy works by Ursula K. LeGuin, Monica Furlong, Jill Murphy, and others, as well as previous works about the British boarding school experience. Other chapters explore the moral and ethical dimensions of Harry's world, including objections to the series raised within some religious circles. In her new epilogue, Lana A. Whited brings this volume up to date by covering Rowling's latest book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The Psychology of Harry Potter: An Unauthorized Examination Of The Boy Who Lived by
Harry Potter has provided a portal to the wizarding world for millions of readers, but an examination of Harry, his friends and his enemies will take us on yet another journey: through the psyche of the Muggle (and wizard!) mind. The twists and turns of the series, as well as the psychological depth and complexity of J. K. Rowling’s characters, have kept fans enthralled with and puzzling over the many mysteries that permeate Hogwarts and beyond: Do the Harry Potter books encourage disobedience? Why is everyone so fascinated by Professor Lupin? What exactly will Harry and his friends do when they finally pass those N.E.W.T.s? Do even wizards live by the ticking of the clock? Is Harry destined to end up alone? And why did it take Ron and Hermione so long to get together? Now, in The Psychology of Harry Potter, leading psychologists delve into the ultimate Chamber of Secrets, analyzing human mind and motivation by examining the themes and characters that make the Harry Potter books the bestselling fantasy series of all time. Grab a spot on the nearest couch, and settle in for some fresh revelations about our favorite young wizard!
In writing assignments, it is always important to cite your sources. Doing so protects you from getting in trouble for plagiarism, but it also helps your readers know where to look if they are interested in more information.
In English classes, the preferred citation style is MLA format. The guides below will teach you about plagiarism and provide resources to help you cite your sources and format your paper correctly in MLA Style.
