Research Resources:
Electronic Reference Sources:
Quotations and Speeches
Quotations
Cliche Finder
Searchable index of over 3,300 cliches. The author of this site defines a cliche as "a metaphor characterized by its overuse."
Familiar Quotations: a Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature
Based on the 1919, 10th edition, of Bartlett's, this site offers a keyword search interface, plus a Chronologic Index of Primary Authors, an Alphabetic Index of All Authors, and a Concordance Index to Quotations.
Literature Network
Search for quotes from the works of one of more than 250 authors or search the entire site to find quotes when the author is unknown.
Oxford English Dictionary [Rutgers Restricted]
A searchable and continuously updated version of the definitive English language dictionary on word origins and usage. Allows searching of the entire text of the dictionary including words used in the definitions, etymologies, and illustrative quotations; authors of quotations; and full phrases.
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
Search interface for this official series of Presidential writings, addresses, and remarks of a public nature. Volumes covering years prior to and subsequent to those that are currently available will be added on an incremental basis. Messages and Papers of the Presidents covering 1789 to 1913 and Papers from 1929 forward are also available via the American Presidency Project from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Quotations
An integrated search interface for full-text online versions of Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, Columbia World of Quotations, Simpson's Contemporary Quotations, and Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations, plus a Quotation of the Day feature dating back to early 2000.
Quotations and Proverbs Search
Attempts to collect and provide a single search interface for the largest Web-based sources of quotations and related items (proverbs, sayings, maxims, amorphisms, slogans, clichés, etc.). Many of the websites included also include the full text of speeches, author biographies, and quotes of the day.
Quoteland.com
Search for a quotation, browse a list of authors, or choose a topic. A bibliography of sources is included in the Site Information.
QuoteWorld
A searchable database of quotations gleaned from a variety of sources. Search by author, category, words, or phrase.
Shakespeare
Searchable collection of works by and about William Shakespeare; including Bartlett's Shakespeare Quotations and the 1914 Oxford edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
ThinkExist.com
Search or browse more than 300,000 quotations from over 20,000 authors.
Wikiquote
"A free online compendium of sourced quotations from notable people and creative works in every language, translations of non-English quotes, and links to Wikipedia for further information."
Speeches
African American History: Major Speeches
Links to the full-text of some of the most significant orations by African Americans. From BlackPast.org.
American Rhetoric
Includes the "Online Speech Bank," a database of and index to more than 5,000 full text, audio and video versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews, other recorded media events, and a declaration or two.
Commission on Presidential Debates: Debate Transcripts
Searchable transcripts of most presidential and vice presidential debates from 1960 to the present.
Executive Speeches [Rutgers Restricted]
Part of Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost), the site provides full-text searching of all speeches included in the periodical from June 1996 to October 2005.
Gifts of Speech: Women's Speeches from Around the World
Full-text, searchable versions of speeches made by women worldwide from 1848 to the present. May be browsed chronologically or by speaker.
Historical Voices
Aims to create a significant, fully searchable online database of spoken word collections spanning the 20th century. "Galleries" include History and Politics Out Loud, Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia, Earliest Voices, and more.
Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States: George Washington to George W. Bush
Searchable text of the inaugural addresses.
NATO Speeches & statements
Not searchable, but includes transcripts of key speeches and news conferences given by the Secretary General and other NATO Officials.
Political Speeches
An extensive collection of links to full-text speech sites on the Web.
Project Vote Smart
Provides factual information on U.S. political leaders, including the President, Congress,
Governors, and State Legislators. Includes facts, issue positions, voting records, legislation status, public statements, and more.
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
Search interface for this official series of Presidential writings, addresses, and remarks of a public nature. Volumes covering years prior to and subsequent to those that are currently available will be added on an incremental basis. Messages and Papers of the Presidents covering 1789 to 1913 and Papers from 1929 forward are also available via the American Presidency Project from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Public Statements of the Chairmen of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Full-text speeches and Congressional testimony given by various Chairmen of the Board of Governors.
Say it Plain: a Century of Great African American Speeches
An "anthology of African American political oratory designed for the ear and the eye".
Scripps Library and Multimedia Archive
Focuses on American politics and history with special attention paid to the American Presidency. Includes presidential recordings, speeches, and oral histories.
State of the Union Addresses of the American Presidents
A complete database of all State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to the present plus separate databases containing addresses from 2005 through 2008 divided by subject.
State Speeches
Archived full text governors' state of the state addresses since 2000.
UNBISnet - United Nations Bibliographic Information System: Index to Speeches
Includes browse and search options for citations to speeches made in the General Assembly (1983-), the Security Council (1983-), the Economic and Social Council (1983-), and the Trusteeship Council (1982-). Links to the full text of speeches are provided.
Vital Speeches of the Day [Rutgers Restricted]
Part of Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost), the site provides full-text searching of all speeches included in the periodical since its inception in 1934.
World’s Famous Orations
Searchable full-text version of the 1906 volume containing 281 speeches.
