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Literature in English

Verifying Quotations

Tips:

  • Use the quotation reference volumes listed below to search by author to verify a quotation. If the volume is digital, search using a word or phrase from the quote because if the quote is incorrect, searching for the entire quote could yield inaccurate results, whereas using words or phrases will get you closer to the actual quotation.
  • Run your word or phrase + author through the quote authentication websites below.
  • Browse the complete works of a public figure using digital volumes in the catalog instead of searching volume by volume in person.
  • You may need to search collections of letters or collections of speeches. Vital Speeches of the Day and Vital Speeches International are two general resources for finding speeches.
  • Go to Google Books and search by the person's name + keywords or phrases from the quote. If the quote exists, an excerpt from a scholar will come up. If cited, you can follow the citation from the book to the original document where the words were issued, such as correspondence, diaries, speeches, interviews, etc.

Websites